A new survey has estimated that stay-at-home parents should earn over €60,000 for the day-to-day jobs they carry out.

Despite this, 82% of people surveyed still don’t recognise the monetary worth of parents who provide full-time care and household management at home.

The survey also shows that less than one in five of the 1,000 adults polled nationwide estimate the cost of carrying out the responsibilities of a stay-at-home parent at over €50,000. 

The average guesstimate was €34,477, which marks a shortfall of more than €25,000 compared to Royal London Ireland’s calculated notional salary.

Speaking about the results of the survey, Karen O’Flaherty, Senior Propositions Executive of Royal London Ireland, said:

“Ten years of this research has consistently shown that the responsibilities carried out by stay-at-home parents form a vital part of how families function. 

“Since the study began in 2015, the estimated annual value of a stay-at-home parent has risen by nearly 50%, yet public perception has not kept pace. 

“Stay-at-home parents carry out an enormous amount of daily responsibilities, from childcare and household organisation to education support, taxiing, and daily logistics – all of which would be very expensive to replace. 

“While many working parents balance similar duties alongside their jobs, this research highlights just how essential the contributions of all parents are, and the importance of ensuring they have adequate financial protection such as life insurance or serious illness cover, to safeguard their family's wellbeing if the unexpected occurs”.

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.

“What really emerges from this year’s findings is how people’s own life stage shapes 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. 

“This aligns with recent CSO data showing that two-thirds (66%) of mothers who gave birth in 2023 were between the ages of 30–39. 

“Similarly, adults living in Leinster and Dublin, where childcare and household support services are often more costly, were among the most accurate in their estimates.”

The role’s estimated annual equivalent has increased by 5.2% to €60,112 – up from €57,140 in 2024 – and represents an overall rise of about 48% from €40,560 when the study was first conducted ten years ago in 2015. 

According to the latest Central Statistics Office (CSO) Vital Statistics Annual Report, 54,526 babies were born in 2023, with 16% of mothers identifying their occupation as a homemaker.