Rising unemployment, huge fuel bills and Christmas expenses have forced many poor families to turn to unscrupulous money-lenders and loan sharks charging extortionate rates of interest, says Barnardo's From Crunch To Crisis: Winter Hardship For Families In The UK report.
Martin Narey, Barnardo's chief executive, said: "The numbers of children in poverty is likely to get worse as the recession hits - and loan companies and loan sharks will be cashing in. This is a constant cycle of deprivation they're fighting against. And their loss is the lenders' gain."
Barnardo's fears chime with calls from the Child Poverty Action Group for government financial support for poor families. Chief executive Kate Green said: "The next round of fiscal stimulus must put families first, supporting the economy at the grassroots. Parents struggling to get by will go straight out and spend any extra cash in their local businesses on the things their children need."
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