Cost of Living
Barnardos Ireland Cost of Living Crisis 2025 Impact on Children.
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 2025.
The survey findings show the realties some families are facing.
For press enquirers please contact, Barnardos Press Office: 01 7080442 / 086 0445966 or communications@barnardos.ie
| Over the past 6 months, have and or your children/children had to go without or cut down on any of the following due to cost of living increases? | April 2025 | April 2024 |
| Heat | 18 | 28 |
| Electricity | 17 | 20 |
| Food | 19 | 20 |
| Clothing | 41 | 40 |
| Medical appointments/medicines/dentist/assessments | 19 | 18 |
| Social activities | 52 | 47 |
| Participating in local sports groups/clubs | 19 | 20 |
| School supplies | 8 | 11 |
| School trips/activities | 16 | 18 |
| Transport | 12 | 12 |
| Rent | 7 | 7 |
| None of the above | 27 | 26 |
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.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
- Seven in ten (70%) parents said they sometimes or always worry about not being able to provide their children with daily essentials.
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.
Barnardos Recommends
- 1
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.
- 2
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.
- 3
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.
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