Half of people in Sheffield have to give up food to pay for car repairs and bills, new study reveals

More than half of people living in Sheffield have had to give up food to pay for unexpected bills, a new study has revealed.
Many people in Sheffield are struggling to make ends meet.Many people in Sheffield are struggling to make ends meet.
Many people in Sheffield are struggling to make ends meet.

Figures reveal that 53% of city folk say they are "just about managing" financially - known by the acronym JAM.

Unexpected house or or car repairs mean that one in seven UK households have to give up necessities like food to pay for unforeseen expenses.

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JAM families say they are struggling to make ends meet - with 53% of families in Sheffield claiming to fit the bill.

A survey of 2,000 adults found that nationally, some 47 per cent defined themselves as JAMS, with Coventry the city with the highest concentration (70 per cent), followed by Chelmsford (63 per cent) and Bristol (58 per cent).

Cardiff had the lowest proportion of JAMs at 28 per cent, followed by Wrexham in Wales, where around a third said to be scraping by.

As these families struggle to get to the end of the month, some 14 per cent admitted to use money meant for food and travel to pay for unexpected expenses. Some 11 per cent said they gave up holidays instead, according to the survey carried out by personal loan firm Provident Personal Credit.

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General household bills, such as the replacement of kitchen appliances or a broken window, were the highest and most common unexpected expense for households, totalling on average £239 a year.

Cars were also one of the biggest unexpected expenses troubling Brits - costing £226 on average a year in unexpected costs.