Charity survey leads to campaign launch

Family Action aims to ensure no child goes without this Christmas.

National charity Family Action has launched a Christmas campaign to support struggling families, as half of UK adults say they will be going without this Christmas.

A nationally representative survey revealed that 50% of adults will be going without items such as food, heating and giving presents as a result of the cost-of-living crisis according to new research published today by national charity Family Action to launch its Make Theirs Magic Christmas campaign.

As the Festive Season approaches, nearly 20% of people will not be heating their homes, 32% are worried about the cost of buying presents, but, more concerning, 42% of people are worried about food and 39% of people are worried about utility costs.

More than a third also think that the cost-of-living crisis will affect their mental health and relationships with their wider family this Christmas and one in 10 adults (10%) will not be giving presents at all this Christmas.

Family Action’s ‘Make Theirs Magic’ campaign is set to help families facing a challenging Christmas this year.

The charity believes that every family deserves a magical Christmas and wants to make sure no child or family goes without essentials such as food and warmth, it will also be providing gifts and festive treats, some of the ingredients that make Christmas a little more magic.

Essential financial support will also be provided to some of the families it works with, who are in crisis, through the provision of Family Action Grants and help and support through its free 24/7 helpline FamilyLine.

The charity is also providing some much-needed joy and magic through its Toy Appeal, providing toys for many of the children it works with.

David Holmes, chief executive, said: “For many of us, Christmas is a magical time, when friends and families come together to enjoy great food, good cheer, gifts and goodwill.

“It is desperately sad that this Christmas, over a third of people are expecting financial pressure from the cost-of-living crisis to affect their mental health and well-being and nearly half of all adults are facing worries about affording food over the festive period. This is a stark reminder of the challenges facing families this Christmas."

To support the campaign visit www.family-action.org.uk/make-theirs-magic.