Low income worker: Rebecca
Rebecca is 33 years old. She worked full-time as a waitress and moved out of her family home in 2019 to rent a one-bedroom apartment.
Since Covid-19 restrictions were imposed Rebecca moved back home with her parents. She was also out of work and received the pandemic unemployment payment (PUP).
She now works as a customer service representative for a online retailer and she works remotely from home. Her annual earnings are €22,000 per annum.
Single parent public sector worker: Tom
Tom is 30 years old and a single parent. He lives and works in north Co Dublin as a nurse. Tom earns €36,000 per annum.
He is paying €800 for a two-bed apartment. However, he would like to get on the property ladder soon and is hoping to use the Help to Buy scheme to help get his deposit together.
Dual income family: Mark and Linda
Mark is married, in his 50s, and lives in Louth with his wife Linda. Mark is a self-employed hotelier. Linda has a part-time job as a beautician and earns a salary of €23,000.
They have four children, two of whom now live at home. Mark’s annual income over the past number of years was €152,000.
Mark and Linda have been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Their hotel closed during lockdown and, while it has since reopened, they have incurred significant costs and experienced a decrease in bookings. Mary was also temporarily laid off during lockdown and received the PUP.
While they have seen increased hotel bookings, it is still very challenging for Mark and Linda. Linda has also returned to work part time.
Pensioners: Leslie and Kitty
Leslie and Kitty are married and living in Cork. They own their family home, having paid off their mortgage. Leslie and Kitty are in their late 70s. Leslie receives an occupational pension of €22,000 along with the State contributory pension and deposit interest. Kitty also receives the State contributory pension.
Single-income family: Ellen and Joan
Ellen and Joan are in their late 30s. They live in Kilkenny in a four-bed semi-detached house.
They have two children aged 13 and seven. Ellen is a pilot. She gave up her job more than 10 years ago when their son was born and has now returned to work. Joan, who used to work full-time in a tech company, now stays at home with their children. Their annual income is €75,000.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Ellen’s annual salary of €65,000 has been reduced by 27 per cent to €47,500.
They also receive rent from renting out a room in their home and have boosted their income by €10,000 a year, thanks to the rent-a-room scheme. This is within the current tax-free limits of €14,000, so they receive this amount, tax free, on top of Ellen’s salary.
High earning couple: Frank and Alison
Frank and Alison are in their early 40s with two children. They live in a €1.5 million four-bed detached house they own in Dún Laoghaire. Both Frank and Alison are accountants and earn a combined annual salary of €250,000.
Since March 2020, both have been working from home and will now work from home two days a week. In the past year, they purchased an electric vehicle and they are considering buying a new house.
