Financial Well-Being Inequalities in Ireland:

This paper examines financial well-being (FWB) inequalities in Ireland using data from the 2020 Irish Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC). Structural equation modelling identified five components of FWB: Financial Behaviours, Financial Satisfaction, Financial Difficulty, Minimum Income, and Financial Technology. Significant inequalities were observed across demographic and socioeconomic groups. Young adults (18–24) exhibited consistently negative average FWB scores, contrasting sharply with positive scores for other age groups. Education emerged as a critical factor, with only the primary education group showing negative average FWB scores. Immigration status significantly impacted FWB, with non-immigrants scoring higher across all components, particularly in Financial Satisfaction and Financial Technology. Income-related inequalities were the most pronounced, with higher-income groups outperforming lower-income groups across all FWB components. A substantial digital divide in financial services was evident between income groups. Intersectional analysis revealed heightened disadvantages, with young, low-income, and immigrant groups facing multiple barriers to financial well-being. Surprisingly, rural residents scored higher in overall FWB than urban dwellers. Findings highlight the multidimensional and intersectional nature of financial inequalities in Ireland. Results are contextualised within Ireland's Well-being Framework (NESC, 2023), and targeted policy interventions are proposed to address these disparities. This work contributes to financial inequality literature and offers insights for policymakers aiming to promote more equitable financial outcomes. JEL Code: D31 , I32 , G51, H31 , J16 , O15