One in 10 parents could be forced to sell their kids' belongings to make ends meet this Christmas

Respondents expect on average to get into £343 worth of debt this Christmas | SWNS

These include things they don’t want to sell, such as clothes, games consoles and even mobile phones.

As 25 per cent of mums and dads polled expect to spend less than usual on their children’s presents this festive season, according to the survey of 2,000 UK consumers.

The research was commissioned by Gumtree, which also revealed listings for ‘free Christmas trees’ on their site have increased 613 per cent.

Hannah Rouch, consumer expert at the online seller, said: “We know that the reality for millions of families is that there is a very real pressure on finances and budgets over winter and the festive period.

“Our latest research has shown that people are looking to sell goods to make ends meet and we are concerned that the Government’s announcements do not go far enough to help working families.

“We implore the Government and decision-makers to seriously consider how to better help parents and children get through this winter."

A third admit that Christmas will be harder for them to afford this year | SWNS

Half expect to clear any debt this Christmas by June

More data from Gumtree found listings for ‘women’s jackets’ and ‘kid’s jackets’ have increased 12 per cent and eight per cent respectively.

While gym equipment has also seen a six per cent rise in listings as Brits look around their homes to sell items they may not be using regularly.

Supporting the findings that parents are having to sell their children’s items in order to afford Christmas, the amount of ‘baby toys’ listed for sale has also increased by five per cent while ‘nursery furniture’ is up 15 per cent.

In addition to selling items, respondents expect on average to get into £343 worth of debt this Christmas and only half (50 per cent) expect to clear this debt by June.

In total, three in 10 of those polled (29 per cent) admit that Christmas will be harder for them to afford this year.

With the top three reasons highlighted as simply ‘everything is more expensive’ (74 per cent), ‘I’m worried about utility prices rising’ (52 per cent) and ‘I’m worried about tax rises’ (22 per cent).

Hannah Rouch, for Gumtree, added: “While we are here to help people sell their goods, and find cheaper alternatives, we are also sharing resources for families who are struggling.”