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RSS launch new research into data gaps in Northern Ireland

rss.org.uk

📢ICYMI: Last week, JRF launched the Disability and Poverty in NI report. This work was supported by an amazing Research Advisory Group & key organisations involved in providing support services in NI. You can hear some of their thoughts below & find the full report in this 🧵

🚨 New report out today! Disabled people in Northern Ireland are almost 2x as likely to live in poverty as non-disabled people, in some of the first research of it's kind in NI. Hear @sheenamcmullen.bsky.social and Christine Ellison set out their findings and what can be done 👇

in 4 people in Northern Ireland live with a disability or limiting long-term health condition but they often experience significantly higher levels of poverty, material deprivation and financial insecurity than non-disabled people. Want to find out more? Webinar link below 🔽

📊 A big change to the way official poverty statistics are constructed comes into effect this year. Family Resources Survey responses and official government benefit records will now be linked for the first time. 📝 In this short explainer video, we take you through what the changes mean.

On 26th March, new poverty stats are out. They'll look different though, with one of the biggest ever changes in methodology. Read why this is short-term pain for long-term gain, and why the changes are a bit like this Formula 1 season: linkedin.com/pulse/next-g...

Next generation poverty statistics

On the 26 March, we will see new, improved poverty statistics in Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)’s Households Below Average Income Statistics. Here's what you need to know.

linkedin.com

Remember when food banks weren't normal? JRF & Trussell NI wanted to find out how the public reacted to the reality in one year over 500,000 people across Northern Ireland, including 130,000 children, lived in a food insecure household & what they thought the @northernireland.gov.uk should do

We asked the public if they think politicians in NI are doing enough to tackle the rising cost of living. Their reactions were clear & honest. People are struggling & want leaders to act. Today @jrf_uk presents our Poverty in NI 2025 findings to Communities Committee for the @northernireland.gov.uk

Tomorrow JRF presents Poverty in NI 2025 research to the Committee for Communities. Before that, we went out w/ Trussell NI to hear some public reaction to our findings. The responses were powerful & demonstrate the urgency that @northernireland.gov.uk need to place on this. Watch the 1st video 🔽

Poverty is deepening. 🔎 Our #UKPoverty2026 report was launched this morning. People in very deep poverty now make up the biggest group of people in poverty, at 6.8 million people. This is unacceptable for the fifth richest country in the world, and it has consequences.

❓ What can we expect from the economic situation in the UK in 2026? It's a mixed picture, as @chrisbelfield.bsky.social explains, with some relief for low-income households. Hear his predictions for the year ahead below 🔽 www.youtube.com/shorts/g8Twm...

What can we expect from the economic situation in the UK in 2026?

YouTube video by Joseph Rowntree Foundation

youtube.com

🔎Our Poverty in Northern Ireland (2025) report highlighted two consistent challenges emerge in the local labour market: pay and hours. Almost half (45%) of all workers here have experienced low pay in one of the last 5 years.

Many of us think that getting and keeping paid work protects us from poverty. But our report today challenges that view. 🔎 The reality for people in Northern Ireland is that too many are held back by low pay and significant barriers to work that keep them trapped in hardship.

Children are bearing the brunt of poverty in Northern Ireland. Too many families face unthinkable choices between feeding their children or keeping their homes warm. 18 months out from the next Assembly election, our Poverty in NI report looks at the action that's needed 🔽

🏘️ Our Poverty in Northern Ireland report shows housing costs, once a relatively modest pressure compared with other parts of the UK, have become a central risk factor of poverty. Despite ambitious targets, social housing completions have fallen far short of what’s needed.

Just a reminder you can still register to join our webinar tomorrow here taking a fresh look at the realities of poverty here & the challenge the NI Executive need to address- events.zoom.us/ev/AhMa6dD3t...

Welcome to join us this Thursday 4th December online or in person @NICVA for our launch of Poverty in NI 2025. You can register here or share with others who might be interested! - tiny.cc/k7uv001

Poverty in Northern Ireland Launch Webinar

tiny.cc

📣New @jrf-uk.bsky.social analysis Scrapping the 2 child limit alone has reversed the projected decline in living standards by *more than half* for the bottom third of households 1/2

Joseph Rowntree Foundation@jrf-uk.bsky.social · 11mo ago

🚨 New analysis alert! Our latest modelling shows that living standards are still set to fall across this Parliament up to November 2029. However, actions taken at the Budget have made this decline less pronounced *by more than half* for low-income households.

These are big changes from Govt to protect existing disabled claimants from cuts - Govt has been listening. But new claimants from April 2026 still face deep hardship from cuts, which should be opposed. Over 400,000 new PIP & 700,000 new UC-health claimants will be £'000s worse off in 2029 1/2

The OBR has not yet been able to forecast any employment gain from the cuts/changes to incapacity & disability benefits MPs are being asked to support around £6.5bn of cuts & increased conditionality for ill & disabled people without any clear assessment of what it will achieve

Confirmation of chunky cuts to SG and NI Executive budgets because of PIP cuts. Big choices for those Ministers as to whether to copy the cruel choices of UKG.

The Chancellor said today that she would not do anything to put household finances in danger Yet the government’s own assessment shows their cuts to health related benefits risk pushing 250,000 people into poverty, including 50,000 children 📢 Their assessment also found... 1/3

Approx 29,000 children experiencing poverty currently in NI are in households where either a parent or child have a disability, legitimately limiting work as a route out of poverty for their household. PIP = lifeline for many in times of high costs & limited support services

bit.ly/4hLq64K

‘Absolute fear’: UK’s planned benefit cuts alarm vulnerable people in Northern Ireland

Labour’s proposed ‘shake-up’ of the welfare system raises the prospect of people with disabilities losing supports for their personal independence

bit.ly

‘I can’t sleep, I’m so scared’: disabled people face benefit cuts domino effect www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

‘I can’t sleep, I’m so scared’: disabled people face benefit cuts domino effect

Three people tell how knock-on impact of losing Pip on carer’s allowance and other benefits will affect their families

theguardian.com

Data from PHA showed that those with a disability consistently disadvantaged across all measures, for e.g. being able to engage w/indicators associated w/5 steps to wellbeing & more likely to have experienced mental ill-health.❌cuts to #DisabilityBenefits www.publichealth.hscni.net/news/mental-...

Our welfare system is morally indefensible - but not like Kier Starmer thinks www.lbc.co.uk/opinion/view...

Our welfare system is morally indefensible - but not like Keir Starmer thinks

The Prime Minister reportedly told his MPs yesterday that the UK welfare system is morally indefensible.

lbc.co.uk

This morning's Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures showed an unexpected slight fall in CPI inflation to 2.5%. This is welcome news for the government, but it also serves as a reminder of their recent commitment to raising real living standards for all. 🧵 (1/4)

Struggling with the decision not to allow Bangor Academy to go through an integration process. Integrated education here is conscious and intentional, in ethos, values and recruitment. When a school says ‘we wanna get better at this, would you help us’, I don’t think the right answer is no.

📢 Our full statement on Meta’s decision to end support for US fact checkers on their fact checking programme is available here: factcheckni.org/articles/new...