Cost of Living
For the past five 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 2026.
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
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| 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 |
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.
- 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%)
- 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)
Constant issue with not being able to go anywhere, partake in activities, sports or social events because of lack of funds.
- 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%)
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.
Barnardos Recommends
- 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.