What is the Minimum Essential Standard of Living research?

The MESL research identifies the cost of what is required to enable a life with dignity, at a minimum but acceptable level – what we call the Minimum Essential Standard of Living.

The research works with members of the public in deliberative focus groups to establish social consensus on what is needed for a minimum living standard. The research is informed by expert knowledge as needed, e.g. nutrition. It produces detailed household budgets which establish what is needed for an acceptable minimum standard of living, for 90% of households in Ireland.

An MESL:

• is a standard of living which no one should be expected to live below
• is decided by members of the public, agreeing on what is needed to live at an acceptable dignified standard and participate in Irish society
• is the minimum needed to live and partake in Irish society today, meeting the physical, psychological and social needs of individuals and households
• is a minimum standard for everyone, not just those in poverty
• counts the actual weekly cost of all the over 2,000 items (goods and services) needed to enable a socially acceptable minimum standard of living
• is a unique benchmark, grounded in the lived experience of people, which complements other poverty measures. It shines a light on the extent to which individuals and households can afford a minimum standard of living