Independent research carried out by comparison and switching website, bonkers.ie in conjunction with RED C, reveals the impact of the Covid pandemic on people’s personal finances as well as their plans for Christmas. 

The research, which surveyed a nationally representative sample of just over 1,000 adults (+18) in the Republic of Ireland shows that one third of people (33%) say Covid has had little to no impact on their personal finances while just over one in three (36%) say it has had a moderate to severe financial impact on them.

Within these groups, almost one in five Irish people (19%) say Covid has had no impact whatsoever on their personal finances. However, on the other end of the scale, 7% of people say it has had a severe financial impact on them.   

Meanwhile over half of Irish people (56%) say Christmas this year won’t be as enjoyable as it was in previous years while just over two in five (43%) say they will be spending less on gifts this year due to the pandemic.
 
The research shows that a third of people (33%) say they will have the same Christmas they always have, regardless of what restrictions might be in place.
  
Speaking about the results from the research, Head of Communications at bonkers.ie, Daragh Cassidy said, "It’s clear that a big percentage of the population remains largely unimpacted financially by Covid, which is encouraging, although one would wonder if this can hold up the longer the pandemic goes on. However there is a significant minority of people who are clearly struggling and the return to level 5 lockdown in mid-October is unlikely to have helped."

He added, "The large majority of people who plan to spend Christmas as normal this year, regardless of restrictions, will no doubt worry NPHET."

Source: www.businessworld.ie