Renters, lone parents, and households with children are among the groups most likely to have an income that does not meet their basic spending needs, according to new research.
The study, published as part of a programme involving the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and Department of Social Protection, examines how household incomes compare to an independently determined benchmark of the minimum needed to meet essential expenditures in Ireland.
The benchmark used is the Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL), established by the Vincentian MESL Research Centre at the Society of St Vincent de Paul.
Households in Ireland, on average, needed 45 per cent of their disposable weekly income, after housing costs, to cover basic expenditure needs.
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The study found significant disparities across household types, with owner-occupiers requiring between 38 to 42 per cent of their income, compared to those in private rented accommodation, who needed 56 per cent, and those in receipt of rent subsidies, who needed 84 per cent to meet basic needs.
Overall, the majority of people live in households that meet their expenditure needs, the study found, but 11 per cent do not live in households that meet their expenditure needs, with children, renters, lone parents, and single working-age adults most affected.
Bertrand Maître, a co-author of the report, said it “highlights the issue of housing and the need for adequate housing support for many tenants”.
A spokesperson for the department said that “while consistent poverty levels are at a historic low ... a minority of people are living in households where their expenditure needs are not met”.
“Budget 2025 delivered the largest social welfare package in the history of the State including a cost of living package that will provide additional support for households.”
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