One-Parent Households Face Rising Deprivation; MESL Recommends Budget 2027 Changes
New data from CSO Silc 2025 and MESL 2026 shows children in one-parent households face increased deprivation and income inadequacy. Consistent poverty rose to 13.4 per cent in these households. The MESL Research Centre urges Budget 2027 to strengthen support for older children and target income shortfalls in one-parent families.
Data from the Central Statistics Office’s 2025 Silc (Survey on income and living conditions) and the MESL (Minimum essential standard of living) 2026 research reveals a concerning trend: children in one-parent households face a significantly higher risk of deprivation and income inadequacy.
The Silc results indicate that consistent poverty in one-parent households rose from 11 per cent to 13.4 per cent for adults and children. The MESL 2026 research further details that single-adult households with older children (aged 12 and over) relying on social welfare experience the greatest income shortfall, primarily due to higher costs associated with raising teenagers, such as food, clothing, and social inclusion.
While the social protection system increased Child Support Payment for children aged 12 and over by 26 per cent in 2026 (from €62 to €78 per week), reducing the weekly income-needs gap to €45, the MESL Research Centre identifies two priorities for Budget 2027. These include strengthening supports for older children to reflect the true costs of adolescence and implementing targeted measures to address persistent income inadequacy in one-parent households, where shortfalls are most severe.