Oxford study says losing a parent in adulthood can affect earnings for years
Researchers say there is room to think about support for bereaved adults
A new study from the University of Oxford has revealed that losing a parent in adulthood can lead to enduring impacts on earnings, particularly for women and mothers with young children.
The research suggests that bereavement affects more than just emotions, as it can influence individuals' working lives for years.
Academics from Oxford's Department of Economics found that adults experiencing the death of a parent suffer a sustained drop in earnings, paired with signs of declining mental health and reduced family support.
Five years following the loss of a parent, men's earnings fell by approximately 2% on average, while women's earnings decreased by around 3%, compared to those who had not undergone such a loss.
The effect was greater for women with young children, whose earnings suffered a reduction of up to 4%, likely due to the loss of informal childcare traditionally provided by grandparents.
Dr Mathias Fjællegaard Jensen, co-author of the study, said: "Losing a parent is one of the most personal and painful experiences many of us will go through.
"What this study shows is that the effects of bereavement can reach into other parts of life for years afterwards, including people’s working lives, through mental health and family support."
The research examined population-wide data from Denmark, comparing adults who underwent the sudden death of a parent with those who had not.
This helped track shifts in earnings, employment, mental health, and support networks over time.
The study looked atsigns of declining mental health post-bereavement, evidenced by increased utilisation of psychological support services, prescriptions for mental health issues, and opioid use.
Findings could suggest a greater impact in countries like the UK, where the welfare system is less robust compared to Denmark.
Access to mental health support in such places often includes long waiting periods, and childcare costs tend to be higher.
Dr Jensen said: "Our findings from Denmark should be read as a conservative estimate. In countries like the UK, the earnings and wellbeing effects of parental loss are likely to be significantly more severe."
The authors of the study argue that bereavement should not be seen solely as a personal issue, but rather an occurrence with broader economic and social implications.
They propose increased support for those experiencing the death of a parent, such as grief support groups, automatic mental health screenings, paid bereavement leave for adult children, and improved access to childcare.
With the death of a parent being a nearly universal experience, researchers suggest these findings prompt important questions for employers and policymakers about how grief is recognised and supported in the workplace.