Key findings by Amárach Research
- One in five families cut back on or went without heating (18%) and electricity (17%) over the past six months.
- More than two in five families going without or cutting down on basic essentials such as heating, electricity, food and medical appointments.
- One third of parents (32%) went into arrears on energy bills due to insufficient income.
- 19% of families had to cut back or go without food over the past six months.
- 40% of parents said they skipped meals or reduced portion size so their children would have enough to eat; 28% felt at some point they didn’t have enough food to feed their children; 12% used a foodbank.
Barnardos children’s charity has today launched their Cost of Living – Impact on Children 2025 report. For the past four years Barnardos has been monitoring the impact of cost of living increases on families and children detailing the number of families who are cutting back and going without essentials, the impact it is having on their day to day lives and general quality of life and the worries they have for the future.
Barnardos commissioned Amárach Research to carry out a nationally representative survey with 1,000 parents/guardians with children aged under 18 in their care in May this year. It found that:
- One in five families cut back on or went without heating (18%) and electricity (17%) over the past six months. One third of parents (32%) went into arrears on energy bills due to insufficient income.
- 19% of families had to cut back or go without food over the past six months. 40% of parents said they skipped meals or reduced portion size so their children would have enough to eat; 28% felt at some point they didn’t have enough food to feed their children;12% used a foodbank.
- More than half cut back or went without social activities (52%). Almost half (41%) cut back or went without clothing and 19% medical appointments.
- 40% of parents said they had borrowed money at least once over the past 12 months in order to provide their children with essentials. Only one in four parents said they did not need to cut back or go without essential items (27%).
- Three quarters of parents (78%) stated that cost of living problems negatively affected their children, 19% saying significantly. Seven in ten (70%) parents said they sometimes or always worry about not being able to provide their children with daily essentials.
Parents said:
”I have turned the heating down in the house to reduce the bill meaning the kids now sleep with extra blankets and wear jumpers or hoodies around the house. I never want my children to go cold or hungry so I’ll often try sleep to stay warm and keep lights off to reduce bills also.”
”There’s not much left for any pleasures in life. It’s grim and not getting any better.”
”Just keeps getting worse and worse. Dreading next winters bills.”
‘We are just barely getting by. My in-laws buy us fuel each week we couldn’t afford it otherwise. I never have money in my purse or account. We are worse off than before.”
”My children are now aware of our financial difficulties and it is impacting their mental health. We’ve had to downsize cars, insurance, get rid of medical insurance, visit food banks, and stop after school activities.”
Barnardos CEO Suzanne Connolly: “The statistics in this report show that parents and children across the country are still going without or having to cut back on basic essentials, reflecting the experience across our services. Parents on the lowest incomes are really struggling, as well as those just outside the threshold for welfare supports. They are continuing to try everything to give their children the necessities for a decent quality childhood, but unfortunately at times failing.
Since we first started reporting on this issue four years ago things have remained static, despite repeated once off Government cost of living measures. There must be targeted permanent supports introduced, otherwise more children will go without essentials next year”.
“At an absolute minimum every child in Ireland should live in homes with adequate heating and electricity, sufficient nutritious food and appropriate clothing, as well as opportunity to engage in sporting and cultural activities. Parents should not be at risk of constant financial distress in order to provide their children with these essentials.”
Barnardos Recommendations
- Increase the Child Support Payment in line with inflation. This requires increasing the payment for children under 12 by €6 per week and for children aged 12 and over by €15 per week in Budget 2026.
- Increase income disregard for one parent family payments, enabling them to retain more income and better protect children in these households who are at disproportionate risk of going without essentials.
- All financially vulnerable families using prepaid meters should be placed on the lowest tariffs and fuel allowance should be extended to families receiving the working family payment.
Parents said:
”It has made myself feel guilty and useless as a mother as I am struggling to give my children what they need…it’s not enough, my children’s mental health is also suffering.”
”It has led to feeling inadequate and unable to provide for myself and my children. Personally I am constantly in a state of anxiety having to live from week to week.”
ENDS
Notes to Editor:
See full report Cost of Living – Impact on Children 2025 report
Methodology
Barnardos commissioned Amárach Research to carry out a nationally representative survey with 1,000 parents/guardians with children aged under 18 in their care. The survey was carried out in May this year. We discussed cost of living issues directly with parents in Barnardos services across the country and spoke to staff across our services to get their views on cost of living issues facing the families we support.
For further information, please contact:
Barnardos Press Office: 01 7080442 / 086 0445966
Facebook: barnardosireland
X (Twitter): @Barnardos_IRL
Instagram: @barnardos_irl
