Grim statistics for one-parent families in Ireland once again show that Government policies designed to tackle poverty are failing
One Family, Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families, has warned the rise in poverty rates in lone-parent families, (“single-adult households with children”), show Government policies designed to tackle poverty are failing. The warning comes as the latest Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) for the year 2024 published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) today confirms a pattern of consistent deprivation in one-parent families, rising to 46.3% from 41.4% in 2023. Once again, in 2024, the CSO Survey identified single-adult households with children under 18, as the most impacted families in Ireland. .
Lone parents across Ireland continue to face severe financial hardship. In 2024, over seven in ten reported difficulties in making ends meet. The data shows an increase in deprivation across key areas such as the inability to afford a Sunday family meal, new clothes and heating. Most stated they could not cope with unexpected expenses without borrowing.
Living standards for these one-parent families remain fragile. Almost half experienced enforced deprivation, one in four had arrears on mortgage or rent payment, and more than a third were were behind on utility bills and went into debt to cover everyday living expenses in 2024.
Last year’s findings once again highlight the persistent economic and social vulnerability of one-parent families in Ireland in recent times. From working with lone and separated parents and their children on a daily basis, these grim statistics are all too familiar to One Family, Ireland’s national organisation for one-parent families. The charity is calling on Government to urgently introduce targeted supports for these struggling parents and children.
QUOTES
Carly Bailey, One Family Policy Manager said,
“The CSO SILC data should be a wake-up call to the new Government. Unlike other groups, one-parent families have an increased deprivation rate, up a staggering 11% compared to last year. Worryingly, this tells us that almost half of all one-parent families are living in enforced deprivation (46.3%), a rate that is almost three times greater than it is for two-parent families (16.2%).
This comes as no surprise to us in One Family as this data fully reflects the growing numbers of families that have contacted us concerned about how to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.
We are calling on the new Government to acknowledge that this cannot continue. We ask that Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary, meet with us as a matter of urgency to allow us to outline the targeted and long-term actions needed to ensure lone parents and their children do not go without heating, food and clothing again this year.”
Karen Kiernan One Family CEO said,
“There are a number of measures that must be taken if we are ever to see deprivation and poverty rates for one-parent families begin to decline. This includes greater supports to enable lone parents to access education and employment and improved support to be able to afford childcare, to name just a few. It is time for Government to acknowledge that it is simply not possible for one parent to afford the basic needs of a family in contemporary Ireland, especially those on a lower income.
One Family are ready and willing to work with the Government and relevant Ministers to ensure that they put in place evidence-based supports to ensure we see deprivation and poverty levels among one parent families fall. It doesn’t need to be this way, these disproportionately high levels of deprivation and poverty are not inevitable but are a result of policy decisions. Let us throw these children and families a lifeline, and support them to live with dignity and opportunity.”
ENDS
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FURTHER INFORMATION
Key findings in the Enforced Deprivation Results from the Survey on Income and Living Conditions reveal:
“The groups most likely to experience enforced deprivation in 2024 were those living in single-adult households with children under 18 (46.3%); unable to work due to long-standing health problems (38.5%); unemployed (37.8%); and those living in rented or rent-free accommodation (31.5%).
The research also states that while,
“[…] CSO’s SILC 2024 show an overall decrease in the percentage of people experiencing deprivation in 2024. The release also highlights the higher incidence of deprivation amongst certain groups such as single-adult households with children […].
It further states that,
“More than seven in ten (73.0%) single-adult households with children under 18 had at least some difficulty in making ends meet in 2024, with two in ten (21.5%) reporting with great difficulty. In comparison three in ten (30.9%) households composed of two adults […].”
Detailed analysis of deprivation rates shows that,
– “the percentage of people living in households composed of a single adult with one or more children under 18 years who were unable to afford a roast joint (or its equivalent) once a week went up from 7.5% in 2023 to 13.5% in 2024, similar to their 2022 rate (12.1%).”
– “The percentage of people living in households composed of single adult with one or more children under 18 years who were unable to afford a meal with meat, chicken, fish, (or vegetarian equivalent) every second day also increased, going from 4.6% in 2023 to 8.0% in 2024.”
– “one in five (22.7%) people living in single-adult household with children were unable to afford new (not second-hand) clothes, five times the rate (4.4%) for people living in two-adult households with one to three children.
– “one in five (13.0%) people in single-adult households with children went without heating through lack of money”
– “Almost half (46.7%) of people living in single-adult households with children were unable to afford to replace worn out furniture.
– “almost eight in ten (77.4%) people in single-adult household with children live in a household that could not afford an unexpected expense of €1,500 without borrowing.”
The research concludes that, in terms of living standards and the the ability make ends meet,
– “Almost half (46.3%) of people living in single-adult households with children were living in enforced deprivation“, which is defined as experiencing two or more areas of deprivation in life. This compares to a much lower rate for “people living in two adult households [who] were the least likely to be living in enforced deprivation (6.9%).”
– only “14.8% of single-adult households with children could maintain the same standard of living for at least three months if they were to lose their income sources.”
– “One in four single-adult households with children had arrears on mortgage or rental payments” and “were the most likely to have missed at least one mortgage, rent, utility or other loan repayments, in the previous 12-month period.”
– “one in four (25.6%) of single-adult households with children had arrears on mortgage or rental payments. Four in ten (38.7%) had arrears on utility bills and one in four (24.0%) had hire purchase instalments or other loan payment arrears.”
– “more than half (54.4%) of single-adult households with children regarded housing costs as a heavy burden, compared with approximately one in seven (13.8%) households composed of two adults”
– “nearly three in ten (29.0%) single-adult households with children went into debt to meet ordinary living expenses in 2024″
SOURCES
Link for data and quotes above: Central Statistics Office, Enforced Deprivation Results from the Survey on Income and Living Conditions for 2024, published 11 March 2025, accessible online here.
