Almost 60% of lone parents feel lonely, CSO survey finds

Almost three in five lone parents describe themselves as feeling lonely 'all or most' of the time, according to research from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The 'Life at Home' survey asked people about their home-life, including questions relating to the division of work between couples, feelings of isolation among people living alone, and relationships between parents and their children.

Of those surveyed who were living alone, only 17 per cent said they felt lonely all or most of the time, compared to 59 per cent of lone parents. Meanwhile, 44 per cent of people living in shared accommodation with non-family members reported the same levels of loneliness.

For adult children living with their parents, 57 per cent of them said they enjoy living with their parents, but 88 per cent said they would prefer not to.

The reverse of the question was also asked, with 87 per cent of parents saying they enjoy living with their adult children, with just 50 per cent saying they would prefer not to.

Image: CSO

The survey also found that over three quarters (76 per cent)of people living in shared rented accommodation with non-family members said they feel they will never be able to own their own home.

For people living alone, 34 per cent said they would prefer to live with others, but the majority (86 per cent) were happy having no one living with them.

Just under one third of couples (31 per cent) said the share of responsibility for home and garden maintenance is balanced, increasing to 61 per cent for household financial decisions relating to the household’s savings, investments and borrowings.

However, men living with a partner reported a greater rate of 'high' satisfaction regarding the division of household tasks, 46 per cent compared to 31 per cent among women.

The survey also looked at pet ownership, with 52 per cent of respondents saying they have a pet in their home, 20 per cent of which had only acquired the pet since the start of the pandemic. The majority of pet owners (87 per cent) said their pet has had a positive impact on their mental health and well-being.