Bradford mum's warning to families over Christmas money pressures

Kirsty had previously had her home repossessed after a relationship breakdown

A mother has issued a warning to families about getting into debt because of the pressures of Christmas.

Kirsty, from Bradford, lost her home after mounting debts from a previous relationship.

She turned to a credit union for help paying for presents, not wanting to take out loans or credit cards.

"It's just one day... but that's such a responsibility when you have no money and you don't want to let your kids down," she said.

The mother-of-two said she understood why there was pressures on families to provide expensive gifts for their children, with there being an emphasis on having a "a great time".

She said it was a "scary thing" that people could consider taking out loans to pay for Christmas presents.

It comes as a Yorkshire charity said families would be getting into debt to pay for essentials this winter.

Christians Against Poverty, based in Bradford, said single parents were one of the most at-risk groups of getting into debt this winter.

A survey it commissioned suggested 25% of those earning less than £15,000 a year have fallen behind on their household bills during the cost of living crisis.

Kirsty turned to Bradford District Credit Union to help her save especially for Christmas, after previously struggling to feed her family.

"It was really difficult for me and hiding that from the people around me because feeling like you can't provide was a lot of weight to bear," she said.

"To come to the credit union means you can still do that [provide for your family], but in a managed and safe way which isn't going to get you into trouble in January."

Ian Brewer, from Bradford District Credit Union, appealed to people to start saving

Ian Brewer, from the credit union, said it was never too late to save, even if it was just £1 a week.

"Just putting something away each month, or each week, whenever you can afford it, allows you to build up financial resilience," he said.

"Sit down with the family and say 'this is how much we've got this year'. Set a budget, because if you splurge out at Christmas, your family won't thank you come January."

Kirsty added: "Don't take the loans out, don't take the credit cards out. Come and speak to people who have got the right information."