Against the background of the measurement, we four organizations draw the common conclusion that more families with children are finding it increasingly difficult to meet basic needs. Inflation, rent increases, high interest rates and rising food prices mean increased pressure on groups with little or no financial margins and have hit extra hard against the families who already had to turn the pennies around. And it’s the children who take the hit. Their right to a reasonable standard of living, to health and to a meaningful leisure time is affected by the economic situation.
Our survey shows that:
- 4 out of 10 single parents and almost 3 out of 10 of cohabiting parents with lower income, indicate that they have needed borrow money to be able to pay the basic for the last six months. This is a sharp increase compared to last year.
- 1 in 5 single parents with lower income have could not afford to eat enough on one or more occasions in the last six months.
- Almost every other single parent and every third cohabitant parent with lower income has could not afford to buy nutritious food every day of the week.
- Four out of ten single parents and two out of ten cohabitants parents would who can cope with increased expenses of SEK 1,000 before it becomes difficult to pay the bills. This points to a sharp deterioration compared to last year, when 32 percent of single people and 9 percent of people living together stated the same difficulty.
- Roughly every other single parent and more than three out of ten cohabiting parents have had difficulties paying for leisure activities to the children.
This is the reality we face every day in our operations around the country, where the pressure is getting bigger and bigger. More and more people are looking for help. The survey points to what our organizations have already been able to see: many families find it difficult to meet their children’s basic needs.
– We see that single parents with low incomes have a particularly difficult time making ends meet. In Rädda Barnen’s activities, we meet single mothers who talk about how difficult it is to make ends meet with low incomes. A functioning economic family policy is required where child support follows cost trends and is increased, says Åsa Regnér, Rädda Barnen’s secretary general.
– Many single mothers are forced to make brutal priorities right now. We talk to parents who need to borrow to cover the rent. It worries me that so many children in Sweden today are forced to grow up with the stress of the economy, who do not get the opportunity to be just children. We believe that a review of the housing allowance could be part of the solution and reduce the stress for many families who spend every penny. It’s time for politics to step in and prioritize families with children, says Marie Linder, chairwoman of the Tenants’ Association.
– Three out of ten single parents with a lower income find it difficult to afford public transport. At the same time, we know that free buses and subways are crucial for many children and young people in these families. They cannot afford to go to their activities. Ultimately, free movement is about the right to meaningful leisure time, says Åse Henell, Majblomman’s general secretary.
– In our operations, we see a drastic increase in families with children collecting food bags. We are concerned about the long-term consequences of children growing up in economic insecurity and not having their most basic needs and rights met, says Anders Pedersen, acting secretary general at the Swedish Red Cross.
About the survey:
The Tenants Association, the Red Cross, Rädda Barnen and Majblomman have been working with and for vulnerable groups in society for a long time. For the second year in a row, the organizations commissioned Verian to conduct a survey on the financial situation of families with children, as part of the work to gather knowledge about how the tougher financial situation affects families and children. The survey was conducted by Verian via the Sifo panel and a partner panel. Both panels are nationally representative and randomly recruited online panels. The interviews were collected between February 8-27, 2024. The target group for the survey is families with children under the age of 18. The main target group is partly single people with an income below SEK 29,500/month and cohabitants with an income below SEK 42,000/month, as well as a control group which corresponds to families with children regardless of household income.
About the theme day 20 March:
For the second year, the Tenants’ Association, Majblomman, Rädda Barnen and the Swedish Red Cross are organizing a joint theme day on the financial difficulties of families with children, 2024. Based on a new, joint Sifo survey, a half-day is carried out at Kulturhuset in Stockholm. Civil society meets party leaders from left to right to discuss the deteriorating situation for children and families with children in Sweden. Famous guests share the stage with young people who talk about the conditions of children on the margins, right now. Learn more about the theme day HERE.
Press contacts:
The tenant association: Gilda Romero, press secretary, gilda.romero@hyresgastforeningen.se 072-549 11 55
Majblomman: Liv Landell Major, press secretary, liv.landell@majblomman.se 0708-74 27 13
Save the Children: Anne Thorngren, press secretary, anne.thorngren@rb.se 0723-57 67 56
Red Cross: Emma Grip, press secretary, emma.grip@redcross.se 070-280 43 75