Low-income worker: Rebecca

Rebecca is 33 years old. She worked full time as a waitress and left her family home in 2019 to rent a one bedroom apartment.

Since the Covid-19 restrictions were imposed, Rebecca has returned home with her parents. She was also out of work and received Pandemic Unemployment Benefit (PUP).

She now works as a customer service representative for an online retailer and works remotely from home. His annual income is € 22,000 per year.

Single-parent public sector employee: Tom

Tom is 30 years old and is a single parent. He lives and works in the north of County Dublin as a nurse. Tom earns € 36,000 per year.

He pays € 800 for a two-bed apartment. However, he would like to step up to the real estate ladder soon and hopes to use the Buyer’s Assistance Program to help him raise his deposit.

Dual income family: Mark and Linda

Mark is married in his 50s and lives in Louth with his wife Linda. Mark is an independent 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 few years was $ 152,000.

Mark and Linda have been significantly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Their hotel closed during the lockdown and, while it has since reopened, they incurred significant costs and experienced a drop in bookings. Mary was also temporarily fired during the lockdown and received the PUP.

Although they have seen an increase in hotel bookings, it remains very difficult for Mark and Linda. Linda also returned to work part time.

Retirees: Leslie and Kitty

Leslie and Kitty are married and live in Cork. They own their family home after paying off their mortgage. Leslie and Kitty are almost 70 years old. Leslie receives an occupational pension of € 22,000 as well as the state contributory pension and deposit interest. Kitty also receives the state contributory pension.

One-income family: Ellen and Joan

Ellen and Joan are in their 30s. They live in Kilkenny in a four bed semi-detached house.

They have two children aged 13 and 7. Ellen is a pilot. She quit her job over 10 years ago when their son was born and has now returned to work. Joan, who worked full time at a tech company, now stays at home with her 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% to € 47,500.

They also receive rent by renting a room in their accommodation and have increased their income by € 10,000 per year thanks to the room rental system. That’s within the current non-taxable limit of € 14,000, so they receive that amount, tax-free, in addition to Ellen’s salary.

High Income Couple: Frank and Alison

Frank and Alison are in their early 40s with two children. They live in a four-bed, 1.5 million euro detached house they own in Dún Laoghaire. Frank and Alison are both accountants and earn a combined annual salary of € 250,000.

As of March 2020, both work from home and will now work from home two days a week. In the past year, they’ve bought an electric vehicle and are considering buying a new home.