Four in 10 UK parents struggle to afford essentials for newborns, study says

Nearly half of parents said financial pressures had hindered their child’s ability to develop skills such as speech, socialising and physical play. Photograph: Prostock-studio/Alamy

Four in 10 parents across the UK are struggling to afford essential items for the care of their newborn babies, according to research.

The survey of 2,000 parents with children aged under five by the charity Barnardo’s found that almost half (49%) felt their child had missed out on opportunities to learn or play because of the cost of living.