It would cost about €60,112 per year to “employ” someone to do the myriad of jobs carried out by a stay-at-home parent, according to new research.
The report from Royal London Ireland, a provider of life insurance and pensions here, showed that less than one in five (18 per cent) of the 1,000 adults polled nationwide estimated the cost of carrying out the responsibilities of a stay-at-home parent at more than €50,000.
On average, adults estimated the cost at €34,477 – a shortfall of more than €25,000 compared to Royal London Ireland’s calculated notional salary.
Now in its 10th year, Royal London’s stay-at-home parent report examines how adults in Ireland assess the monetary worth of parents who provide full-time care and household management at home.
The estimated value given by the Irish public is then compared with market research on the possible cost of hiring someone to carry out the full range of parenting duties.
The role’s estimated annual equivalent has increased by 5.2 per cent to €60,112 – up from €57,140 in 2024. This represented an overall rise of about 48 per cent from a level of €40,560 when the study was first conducted in 2015.
More than one in five women (22 per cent) accurately estimated that the cost would exceed €50,000, compared to 14 per cent of men.
One in four adults (24 per cent) believe it would cost just €20,000-€30,000 to hire someone to take on the responsibilities of a stay-at-home parent, while a further 21 per cent place the cost at €30,000-€40,000.
Six per cent believe the cost would be under €10,000, highlighting a significant underestimation of the role.
Men (28 per cent), adults aged 18-24 (29 per cent) and those over the age of 55 (29 per cent) were the groups most likely to estimate the salary at €20,000-€30,000, the research found.
People aged 35-44 were most likely to correctly estimate the financial value at more than €50,000.
Royal London Ireland reviewed the range of daily tasks carried out by stay-at-home parents and calculated what it would cost to hire someone to take on these responsibilities, using current wage rates as a benchmark.
These duties include household management, meal preparation, transporting children to activities, and other day-to-day care. Based on this analysis, the estimated annual cost of replacing a stay-at-home parent was €60,112.
Karen O’Flaherty, senior propositions executive with Royal London Ireland, said the data suggests people’s own life stage shaped their understanding of the role. “Those who placed the highest value on the work of a stay-at-home parent tend to be in the 35-44 age bracket, which is the group most likely to be raising young children themselves and dealing directly with the practical and financial demands it entails,” she said.
“This aligns with recent CSO data showing that two-thirds of mothers who gave birth in 2023 were between the ages of 30-39.”
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She added that the data showed “a disconnect” between how heavily society depends on parental labour and how little it is recognised.
“When we break down the individual tasks that stay-at-home parents, or any parent for that matter, manage, the picture becomes even clearer: replacing this work would come at a substantial cost and would require a range of different paid professionals to cover it,” she said.
“These are not occasional responsibilities but essential, daily functions that keep households running. The fact that the estimated annual cost now exceeds €60,000 really highlights just how much unpaid, and often unseen, work is being carried out in homes across the country.”