Third of single parents miss a household bill to cover Christmas costs

A third (34%) of single parents have missed paying a household bill to cover the cost of Christmas according to research debt counselling service Money Wellness,

More than 50% of single parents with three or more children said being alone made it harder for them to afford the festive period. One in ten said they used credit to pay for Christmas last year, with half of those taking up to three months to pay off the debt.

Single dads expect to spend more on their kids than single mums this Christmas, saying they’ve budgeted between £300 – £400. This is compared to a third (32%) of mums, who can only afford between £100 – £200. However, dads are more likely to rely on credit or help from friends and family to cover festive spending (17%).

Just 12% of mums said they would use credit or BNPL this Christmas, despite their income being 5% less than their male counterparts. They are more likely to have saved up or cut back on non-priority bills to make Christmas memorable for their little ones. Despite Christmas being a considerable stretch and worry for single parents, 66% have never spoken to their children about the financial pressures they face.

Single parents supported by Money Wellness this year were predominately female and often not working because of illness, disability or being a homemaker.
Only 24% have child maintenance as a source of income to help with the cost of raising their children and around 20% are impacted by the two-child cap.

The average single parent has a budget deficit of £244, which increases from -£219 if there is one child to -£286 for those with three or more children.
Single parents seeking debt support predominately rent (87%), with a third in rent arrears. Concerningly, 4% are homeless or living in temporary accommodation.
Nearly two-thirds have utility arrears and are, on average, 12 months behind on payments. Their average energy bill is £200 a month, which is higher than households with multiple adults and no children (£175) and single adults with no kids (£130).

Money Wellness says 15% of single parents have buy-now, pay-later debts, averaging £425 per debt. And two-thirds mention a vulnerability, with 53% saying they have mental health issues.

Sebrina McCullough, Director of External Relations at Money Wellness, said “Being a single parent is tough but even more so at Christmas. Being on your own with children can be anything but merry, with a mix of financial, social and emotional pressures. What parent doesn’t want to create the perfect Christmas for their chid? So it’s tough when you can’t afford to give them everything they want or that their friends have. No more so than for those with three or more children who are also affected by the two-child limit, so they lose out on additional help with their third child.”