A new survey from Bpact Ireland has found that nearly half of Irish households are operating without adequate financial buffers, with energy bills and food costs placing households under unprecedented and sustained pressure. The findings paint a picture of a society in which financial resilience has been significantly eroded across all demographic groups.
4 in 10 Irish households are under financial strain
The Bpact Ireland Cost of Living Survey 2026 found that only 25.5% of Irish adults say their household lives comfortably, while 41.1% are under clear financial strain, either needing to be careful with spending, struggling to make ends meet, or unable to do so at all. The year-on-year financial trajectory is broadly negative: 49.4% say their situation has worsened compared to 12 months ago, while fewer than 1 in 5 (20.1%) report improvement.
2 in 10 Irish are unable to pay a sudden €1,000 expense
When asked what they would do if faced with a sudden €1,000 expense, only 51.5% said they could pay easily from savings. Some 30.5% could pay but only with difficulty, and 18% would need to borrow from family, friends, or a financial institution, or would simply be unable to pay at all. Women face particular vulnerability: 8.1% of female respondents would not be able to cover the expense, compared to 4.0% of men.
Energy bills are the dominant pressures on household budgets
The dominant pressures on household budgets are energy bills, cited by 68.5% of all respondents and rising to 77.6% among those aged 65 and over, and food and groceries, cited by 64.0%. Housing costs are the third major pressure overall but are felt most severely by younger cohorts: 55.9% of under-35s and 49.3% of 35–44 year-olds identify housing as a primary budget strain.
Irish are trying to cope
The breadth of coping strategies adopted is telling. More than half of all respondents have reduced their energy use at home, delayed major purchases, and drawn on savings. Nearly half have cancelled subscriptions and switched to supermarket own-brand products. Among those in their mid-30s and 40s — households typically managing mortgages, childcare, and other peak costs simultaneously — rates of coping behaviour are even higher.
More than 1 in 3 adults have considered emigrating due to rising costs
6 in 10 Irish adults (62.8%) believe today’s generation is living through harder financial conditions than their parents faced at the same age. Among the youngest cohort (under-35s), this rises to 87.3%. Only a small minority believe young people will be able to afford buying a home in the future, and more than 1 in 3 adults (36.1%) have considered emigrating due to rising costs.
About the survey
The Bpact Ireland Cost of Living Survey 2026 was conducted online between 1 and 20 April 2026 among a nationally representative sample of 1,795 Irish adults. Data was weighted to be representative of the Irish population by age, gender, and regional assembly area. Maximum margin of error: ±2.31%. Fieldwork and analysis: Bpact Ireland.
