West Midlands parents failing to feel economic recovery benefits
Nearly two thirds of parents in the West Midlands say they have failed to feel the benefits of the UK's economic recovery, a new study has found.
A total of 64 per cent of parents across the region said a stronger economy had not left them better off, according to research from the national charity 4Children.
The survey also found that almost a third of West Midlands' parents with children 18 or under say their family finances had worsened over the last three years.
The Britain's Families: Thriving or Surviving? study looked at the daily lives of Britain's families in 2016.
It concluded that families across the region are struggling to make ends meet, with 45 per cent of parents saying their family finances 'could not cope' with the cost of replacing a broken boiler as the cold weather hit this winter.
A total of 43 per cent of families in the West Midlands said they were losing sleep over money worries, while just over a quarter said they were missing dinner time at least once a week because of work.
The research also revealed that parents in the West Midlands are the most sceptical in Britain about the future prosperity of their children.
Only 38 per cent of them said they were confident that their children will find a job paying a decent salary by the age of 30, while around a quarter of respondents thought their children would be on the property ladder by the same age.
Imelda Redmond CBE, chief executive of 4Children, said: "Too many of Britain's families are struggling to make ends meet, even as the wider economy is improving.
"Families in the West Midlands are no exception. We spoke to hundreds of families as part of our inquiry into Britain's Families in 2016.
"The message from them was clear: they're working hard to make ends meet but quality family time is suffering as a result.
"Like many families across the country, families in the West Midlands are torn between working longer hours to provide more for their families and spending quality time together.
"Mums and dads feel like they're playing snakes and ladders, with many only one unexpected bill away from a crisis.
"And as our polling shows, a broken boiler this winter could push many over the edge financially. We need to see better family friendly working conditions, especially for dads who are often missing out – and incomes need to match the real cost of raising a family."
4Children has come up with a number of strategies they say will improve the lives of families in the UK. They include creating better working conditions, providing better training opportunities to 'upskill' parents and raising wages to 'adequately match' the cost of raising a family.
