More than one third of families went into arrears in last 12 months
Key findings by Amárach Research show increase in families impacted across all areas
Energy:
- More than one third of families (36%) went into arrears on energy bills at some point over the past 12 months (2025: 32%)
- One in five (21%) parents said that they had to go without or cut back on heating (2025:18%)
Food:
- 20% of parents said they and/or their children had to go without or cut back on food(2025:19%), 44% skipped meals (up from 40% in 2025).
- 30% felt at some point they didn’t have enough food to feed their children (up from 28% in 2025)
Debt:
- Two in five (39%) of parents said they had borrowed money at least once over the past 12 months
- One parent families are twice as likely to experience impact of costs (32% compared to 17%)
23.06.2026. Barnardos children’s charity today launched their Cost of Living – Impact on Children 2026 report. For five years Barnardos has monitored the impact of cost of living increases on families and raised the issue, urging the Government to set up targeted actions to protect families and reduce child poverty. If the Government is going to have any chance in achieving their new ambitious child poverty target by 2030 and pull children out of deprivation, increased supports, particularly for those most at risk, need to be put in place.
Over the past five years Barnardos has seen a steady increase in the number of parents who believe cost of living issues have significantly affected their children, with up to 80% of families saying their children have felt the impact in some negative way.
The report highlights the financial pressures and difficulties on families and the direct impact on children focusing on energy, food, housing, and basic essentials required to support a healthy childhood. 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:
- Energy: One in five parents said they had to go without or cut back on heating (21%), an increase on 2025 with the number doing so for electricity remaining the same at 17%. Over one third (36%) said that they had gone into arrears on energy bills at some point over the past 12 months due to insufficient income (2025: 32%).
- Food: Twenty percent of parents said they and /or their children had to go without or cut back onfood,44% skipped meals or reduced portion size so their children would have enough to eat (up from 40% in 2025). 30% felt at some point they didn’t have enough food to feed their children (up from 28% in 2025). 16% reported using a food bank(up from 12% in 2025)
- Fuel: Over half of parents (55%) were concerned about having enough money to put fuel in their car.
- Essentials: 17% cut back or went without medical/health appointments and more than one third (36%) went without or cut back on clothing.
- Debt: Two in five (39%) of parents said they had borrowed money at least once over the past 12 months. Almost one third (29%) of parents said they are always worried about being able to provide their children with essentials. Only just over one in ten parents (12%) said they never worry.
- Pressures: Only one in five parents said cost of living pressures have not negatively affected their child (21%). More than one in five parents (21%, slightly up on 19% in 2025 and 12% in 2022) said it has significantly negatively affected their children.
- Income: Parents with household incomes less than €30,000 were far more likely to go without or cut back on certain essentials compared to those with higher incomes. For example, they were four times more likely to go without or cut back on food (36% compared to 9%) those with incomes over €80k and almost double the number for those with household incomes from €30-80k (20%). Two thirds (67%)borrowed money to provide children with essentials (compared to 38% of €30-80k and 21% over €80k) and a similar number(63%) had gone into arrears on energy bills due, and one third said they had used a food bank (34%).
- One parent families: Children in one parent families are far more likely to have been significantly negatively impacted by cost of living issues than those in two parent households (32% compared to 17%). 43% were always worried about being able to provide children with daily essentials compared to 24% of two parent families.
Parents said they experienced:
Being cold when we ran out of heat and electricity and couldn't afford to pay
In the winter time the heating in bedrooms – we can't have it on all the time, downstairs in one room. Put it on a little while before bed.
Amount of food we buy had been significantly cut.
Clothing has now become a luxury item due to the cost of it.
Constant issue with not being able to go anywhere, partake in activities, sports or social events because of lack of funds.
I have given up on those things for myself a long time ago to be able to provide them for my kids.
My son takes expensive medication for ADHD that is not covered under DPS. I had to go into debt to get him assessed privately to even get these medications to help him get through school. This extra cost has almost broken me in the past few months.
For me, my mental health is a current issue due to not eating well enough or taking supplements while breastfeeding as I cannot afford them, so my hormones are imbalanced.
I have a reasonably good job, but every month is the same - nothing left for anything once the bills and food and medication costs are spent. Isolated often at home, child sees me constantly stressed and budgeting/worrying about bills and arrears and going without basics.
Yes we live, we have what we need, but no room for anything to go wrong or to actually live.
Barnardos National Policy Manager Stephen Moffatt said: “We witness first-hand the impact deprivation has on the children we support across the country and the negative effect it has on their entire childhoods including their health and wellbeing, relationships and ability to engage in school. For many, it is the cause of additional adversities within the home or an exacerbating factor, such as parental separation, poor parental mental health, homelessness, and addiction.
“The Government has set an ambitious child poverty target to be reached over the next five years. This needs to be backed up by targeted actions that better guarantee children live in warm homes, with sufficient nutrition and appropriate clothing and have the opportunity to engage in sporting and cultural activities, because childhood lasts a lifetime.“
Barnardos Recommendations
- Increase the Child Support Payment by €10 for under 12s and €15 for those over 12 and commit to increasing it in line with inflation.
- Increase income disregard for one parent family payments and extend the living at home allowance to one parent families.
- Increase fuel allowance by €5 per week; commit to reducing the disparity in cost of energy bills for those on pre-paid meters and those on bill pay.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
See the full report: Cost of Living – Impact on Children 2026
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 7080422 / 086 044 5966
Facebook: barnardosireland
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LinkedIn: @Barnardos Ireland
