New research from consumer watchdog Which? reveals that one in seven households with children faced financial strain in the past month, with many struggling to cover the costs of back-to-school essentials. The latest Consumer Insight Tracker indicates that 15% of families surveyed missed essential payments, including housing, bills, loans, or credit card payments, in the month leading up to September 8.

This contrasts sharply with the five percent of households without children facing similar financial challenges. Overall, 8.2% of all UK households—approximately 2.3 million—missed essential payments during this period, consistent with the persistently high missed payment rates observed over recent months.

Families with children were notably more likely than other groups to make adjustments to cover essential spending, such as cutting back on essentials, dipping into savings, selling possessions, or borrowing. A staggering 68% of households with children reported making at least one adjustment, compared to 46% of households without children.

While the overall number of households making adjustments has decreased from previous months, 15.1 million UK households still resorted to these measures. This marks the lowest level in the last 18 months but remains significantly higher than pre-2022 figures, indicating ongoing financial challenges for many households.

With winter approaching, household finances are expected to face additional strain. Which? calls on essential businesses, including energy firms, broadband providers, and supermarkets, to play a role in alleviating financial pressures on their customers. Suggestions include making budget range items widely available, ensuring customer service departments are fully staffed, and properly advertising social tariffs.

Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, expressed concern about the financial struggles faced by households, particularly those with children. Concha urged individuals facing financial hardship to seek free debt advice and encouraged businesses in essential sectors to support their customers during this challenging period.

As winter and higher heating bills loom, the call for businesses to take proactive measures to assist their customers gains urgency. If individuals are struggling with essential payments, the recommendation is to promptly communicate with their service providers to seek assistance.