Role of stay-at-home parent valued at €60,112
More than 8 in 10 people (82%) in Ireland underestimate the monetary value of a stay-at-home mom or dad. It would cost approximately €60,112 per year to ‘employ’ someone to do the myriad of jobs carried out by a stay-at-home parent.
The latest survey from Royal London Ireland shows that less than one in five (18%) 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. 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 and aims to raise awareness of the invisible monetary value of the contribution provided by stay at home parents that deserves both support and consideration in financial planning. 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% to €60,112 – up from €57,140 in 2024 – and representing an overall rise of about 48% from €40,560 when the study was first conducted ten years ago in 2015. According to the latest CSO Vital Statistics Annual Report, 54,526 babies were born in 2023, with 16% of mothers identifying their occupation as a homemaker.
Karen O’Flaherty, Senior Propositions Executive of Royal London Ireland, commented: “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,” she said.
The 10th edition of the Royal London Ireland Stay-at-Home Parent Survey found:
More than one in five women (22%) accurately estimated that the cost would exceed €50,000, compared to 14% of men.
One in four adults (24%) believe it would cost just €20–30,000 to hire someone to take on the responsibilities of a stay-at-home parent, while a further one in five (21%) place the cost between €30–€40,000.
People aged 35–44 were the most likely to correctly estimate the financial value at over €50k (22%).
A notable one in twenty (6%) believe the cost would be under €10k, highlighting a significant underestimation of the role.
Ms O’Flaherty continued: “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. In contrast, a sizeable share of respondents still believe the role could be replaced for €20,000 to €40,000 a year, and 6% estimate it at under €10,000. These findings show just how wide the perception gap remains.”
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 is €60,112.
Rising costs
Royal London Ireland has carried out this research since 2015, and across that decade the estimated value of stay-at-home parent duties has risen in almost every edition of the survey.
Karen O’Flaherty concluded: “Each year, 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. 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. The data reveals a disconnect between how heavily society depends on this labour and how little it is recognised – a gap that becomes impossible to ignore when given a real market value,” she added.