MORE than half of Scottish parents have said they cut back on spending money on themselves in order to afford Christmas or birthday presents for their children, according to a charity.

Almost four in 10 parents in Scotland (38 per cent) said they struggled to make their money last to the end of each month, the poll commissioned for Action For Children found.

In addition, almost half of Scottish parents (46 per cent) have had to cut back on themselves to be in position to buy essentials such as food, clothes and transport for their children.

Paul Carberry, director of children's services at Action for Children Scotland, said: "Parents want to give their children a magical Christmas and this places a lot of pressure on them to spend.

"When so many parents already struggle to make their money last with everyday living costs, Christmas can spark a crisis of stress, bills and debt.

"Parents worried about their money situation should seek help now to prepare for Christmas and to avoid the dreaded day in January when the credit card bills land on the mat."

Action for Children Scotland provides money advice at many of the 90 services run by the charity.

Mr Carberry added: "Making and sticking to a budget, prioritising your most expensive debts and ensuring you're claiming the benefits and tax credits you're entitled to all help."

New figures published by the Trussell Trust this month showed that foodbank use remains at record levels.

The charity, which runs a network of 425 foodbanks across the UK, gave 506,369 three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis between April and September 2015, compared to 492,641 in the same period last year.

Benefit delays and changes remain the biggest cause of foodbank use accounting for 43 per cent of total referrals.

Other key contributing factors cited by the Trussell Trust include low income (22 per cent), debt (6.85 per cent), unemployment (4.82 per cent) and homelessness (4.75 per cent).

According to Macmillan Cancer Support, meanwhile, thousands of people with cancer will feel "cold and lonely" this Christmas because they do not have enough money to celebrate or heat their homes.

Almost 170,000 people in the UK with the disease are unable to join in special family events this festive season due to a lack of cash, said the charity.

Its survey of almost 1,000 people living with cancer also found nine per cent said they had to miss out on visiting family and friends because they could not afford it.

Other research of more than 1,600 people who have been in touch with Macmillan found 28 per cent were unable to adequately heat their home in winter due to money worries.

The charity has previously found that four in five (83 per cent) people with cancer are on average £570 a month worse off as a result of their diagnosis.

Reasons include being too ill to work plus extra costs, such as transport to hospital appointments, new clothes for a changing body shape and needing to heat the home. Cancer patients are more likely to feel the cold.

Macmillan said the Government must rethink its plan on welfare, which it said would take £30 a week away from people with cancer who are too ill to work.

Lynda Thomas, chief executive of the charity, said: "It's heartbreaking that people who are going through cancer, which is likely to be one of the most difficult times of their life, are also having to wake up on Christmas day in the cold, alone, without being able to have Christmas dinner or buy presents for their loved ones.

"Having cancer is an isolating time and being cut off financially because of a diagnosis makes life even harder.

"People with cancer can lose hundreds of pounds each month because of their diagnosis."

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said most cancer sufferers would not be affected, adding: "People facing a cancer diagnosis will continue to get the support they need through the benefits system."