'There’s not much left for any pleasures in life. It’s grim and not getting any better'

Barnardos has been conducting its cost-of-living survey for four years. In 2022, just 2% of parents faced serious problems paying the rent. This is now at 7%. Picture: iStock

Almost half of families in Ireland go without or at least cut back on basic essentials including food and electricity, new figures in the Barnardos Cost of Living 2025 survey claim.

Parents are borrowing money to buy food, cancelling medical insurance, and already “dreading” next winter’s heating bills, it said.