One in five young adults will rely on charity to get by this Christmas

One in Five young people will have to access charity this Christmas according to the salvation army.
The charity say young adults  live hand to mouth with those in work just as likely as the unemployed to say they need support.     Credit: PA/ Salvation Army

Young adults in the North West will struggle this Christmas with one in five of them having to rely on charity to get by, according to the Salvation Army.

The charity say young adults live hand to mouth with those in work just as likely as the unemployed to say they need support.

One in six under 30s are also behind with their rent or mortgage, and with the rise in the cost of living, the Salvation Army say it is concerned many young people are on the cliff edge of homelessness.    

Resent Office for National Statistics and Demos research  suggests that this age group is more likely to be in low-paid, have low-security jobs with more of their income going on housing.

They are also more likely to have suffered financially due to the pandemic as a higher proportion work  in industries that shut down or furloughed and put on reduced wages.     

The Salvation Army is calling for:

  • People in debt to be ‘breathing space’ to pay back the Government for the loan they receive while waiting for their first Universal Credit payment.

  • More debt support for those at risk of falling into arrears with their mortgage or rent

  • Protection from food poverty during the school holidays for families with children

  • An expansion of free childcare provision so parents can afford to work

The charity are calling for more to be done to support young people. Credit: PA

The Salvation Army runs food banks across the UK and offers free debt and employment advice.

Last Christmas, the church and charity distributed gifts to thousands of children from vulnerable families across the north west through its Christmas Present Appeal.