A BBC survey has found that the cost of living crisis is forcing families to plan for a smaller Christmas than usual.
According to BBC business reporter Noor Nanji:
Three in five (62%) people polled said their Christmas and festive spending plans will be smaller than usual.
Adults with a household income under £40,000 are more likely to say their plans will be much smaller this year.
Prices rose at their fastest rate for 40 years again in September, with UK inflation expected to keep rising.
The price of food went up along with energy bills and transport costs.
The rising cost of food, fuel and energy dominate fears about rising costs, the survey of 4,132 shows.
Just 3% of those polled in the Savanta Comres survey for the BBC said their Christmases will be bigger than last year.
The survey was conducted earlier this month before Chancellor Jeremy Hunt reversed some tax cuts, saying that support on energy bills would be limited for some, and warned of further government spending cuts.
Kristie, from Somerset, says she’s worried this year’s festive lunch will be a microwave meal from Tesco.
Last year, she and her son had a proper Christmas meal with turkey, ham and vegetables.
But she says this year, she won’t be able to afford the electricity to use her cooker for the time it takes to prepare a turkey.
“I can’t afford to put on the cooker – I’m using the microwave. So how am I going to cook Christmas dinner for me and my son?”, she says.
“You’re better off getting a takeaway Indian meal from Tesco and sticking that in the microwave.”
The cost of living has risen by 10.1 per cent in the year to September. That’s the fastest rate in 40 years.
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