Living Precariously: single mothers and their children in the Icelandic Welfare state

Abstract

This study examines the situation of single mothers in Iceland compared to mothers living with a partner. In 2024, Iceland recorded 12,670 single-parent families, of which 10,974 were headed by women, making single mothers a substantial group that often carries primary responsibility for employment, childcare, and household management. Despite their societal significance, relatively little research has examined their social and economic conditions. The analysis draws on a national telephone survey conducted in 2022 among Icelandic women aged 25–64 years. Focusing on mothers aged 25–49, those most actively engaged in both the labour market and childcare, the study explores differences by family structure in housing conditions, material deprivation, and financial wellbeing. We also assess whether these disparities can be explained by sociodemographic factors or reflect more systemic inequalities. Findings indicate that, despite high labour force participation among single mothers in our sample, single mothers experience substantially greater financial insecurity than partnered mothers. Their incomes less often cover basic household needs, and they are more likely to report both personal and child-related material hardship. Although some of these differences are partially explained by age, number of children, education, income, and housing status, the association remains strong after adjustment, suggesting that structural factors contribute to the economic vulnerability of single mothers.