When the clocks go forward on the 26th March, many of us might feel slightly hard done by as we lose an hour in bed. However, for hundreds of families in Yorkshire, this is the least of their worries – losing sleep is a fact of life during the cost of living crisis.
Barnardo’s’ recent report on the emergency, A Crisis on our Doorstep, revealed the shocking statistics behind this relatively unknown part of the cost of living crisis – that many children in the UK don’t have a bed to sleep in.
Almost 1 in 10 parents in Yorkshire are worried that their child doesn’t have a suitable bed to sleep in, while 1 in 4 said their child had been forced to share a bed with themselves or a sibling in the past year as they couldn’t afford a bed for everyone to sleep.
The Barnardo’s Crisis Fund was set up to help families who are struggling with the cost of living, with the majority of support from the fund being spent on food. Hundreds of thousands of pounds have been distributed across the North of England from the fund.
One such person who has been helped by Barnardo’s is Danielle, a mum of four from Wyke near Bradford. Danielle has a teenage daughter and three sons, one of whom is only 6 weeks old. Danielle’s two older sons, 6 and 3, were sleeping on mattresses on the floor after their beds rotted away with black mould in her rented home. As Danielle and her partner Wayne tried to cope with rising living costs, they were simply unable to buy new beds for their sons, one of whom is awaiting a diagnosis for autism.
Danielle believes the bedding situation has not helped her son. Lack of sleep can have a significant impact on physical and mental health, and research suggests children and young people who don’t get enough sleep are at risk of higher blood pressure, diabetes and a range of mental health issues including anxiety and depression.
Barnardo’s was made aware of Danielle’s situation after an NHS health visitor raised concerns about their hardship during a routine visit to check up on their new baby. They had not asked for support, but in the following two months we have been able to order new beds for their sons, as well as provide baby essentials and other support.
Danielle said: “It’s just so difficult to know where to turn – I have never struggled like we’re struggling now. We can only afford a food budget of £50 a month – and as the boys are sleeping on the floor it’s really hard for them to get to sleep. I have to keep the heating on in the evening to try and make it more comfortable for them, and then I wake up early to turn it on again before they wake up.
“We have sleepless nights ourselves, sat there all night worrying about the situation and what will happen. I’m just so thankful for Barnardo’s help – I don’t know what we’d have done without it these last few weeks.”
Nadine Good, Director of Barnardo’s North, said: “It is shocking to think that in 2023, we have families in Britain where there isn’t a bed for everyone to sleep in.
“We’re all aware of the rising cost of food and energy bills, but the lack of bedding and suitable beds is one of the unseen sides of the cost of living crisis that is having a huge impact on children and families.
“We are proud to be supporting young people, parents and families like Danielle’s by providing safe beds and bedding – something so many of us take for granted at the end of each day. Having somewhere to sleep is a basic need as a human being, so it’s devastating to think so many of our children are sharing beds or sleeping on the floor.”