Single mothers 'on weekly budget'

New research says higher paid employees suffer more bullying

More than half of single mothers have resorted to managing their finances on a weekly basis in a bid to make ends meet, a survey shows.

Around 58% of those questioned said they now withdrew a weekly spending allowance in cash at the beginning of each week to make sure they did not overspend, according to BrightHouse Stores.

More than half of single mothers said they could no longer afford a night out at the pub, while 54% said they could not afford a holiday and 35% claimed they did not have enough money to attend evening classes.

A further 28% of those questioned also said they now avoided doing big food shops, instead buying things only as and when they needed them.

But despite cutting back, 22% of lone parents said they had needed to borrow money from family and friends to get by, while 12% had taken out loans to cover basic living expenses.

Brand Driver questioned 500 single mothers during April.