NEWS

South Antrim MP Robin Swann Ahead of Wednesday’s Autumn Budget, Robin Swann MP has issued a stark warning over the proposed Family Farm Tax, describing it as a “deeply damaging and utterly unacceptable threat” to family-run farms across Northern Ireland. The Ulster Unionist MP stressed the importance of protecting these farms, which he described as integral to both rural communities and local economies. “As I have made clear time and time again, the Family Farm Tax is a dire

Alliance MLA for North Antrim, Sian Mulholland, has welcomed the restoration of automatic entitlement to free NHS sight tests, dental treatment, and travel costs for eligible Universal Credit recipients in Northern Ireland. The change, which comes into effect on 1 December 2025, will benefit over 195,000 people, including thousands of families across North Antrim. Ms Mulholland , who has consistently campaigned for the reinstatement of automatic support, said: “From the momen

More than 195,000 Universal Credit recipients in Northern Ireland will gain automatic entitlement to free NHS sight tests, dental treatment, and travel cost support from 1 December, following a key legislative update announced by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt. The move brings Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK, after years of disparity in how Universal Credit recipients accessed the Help with Health Costs (HwHC) scheme. The HwHC scheme supports people on low in

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons pictured with Age NI Head of Advice and Advocacy Services Brenda Kearns (left) and Director of Pensions, Disability, and Carers at Department for Communities NI Leonora McLaughlin. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has encouraged people over the State Pension age to check whether they qualify for Pension Credit, warning that many older residents could be missing out on vital financial help during the ongoing cost of living pressures. Pension

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons is pictured with Gary Hazlett and Carla Marriott, K9tergarten and Caorlan McAllister from Halfway House...

With GCSE results being released this week, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding parents of teenagers to extend their Child Benefit...

More than 93,000 children and young people across Northern Ireland are currently receiving free school meals — is your child one of them?...

Low-income families across Northern Ireland will receive enhanced support from the 2025/26 academic year, as Education Minister Paul...

South Antrim MP Robin Swann Ulster Unionist Party MP Robin Swann has firmly opposed the Government’s Universal Credit and Personal...

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has confirmed that pensioners across Northern Ireland will receive...

Northern Ireland’s Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has welcomed a major policy reversal by the UK government which reinstates broader...

Parents and guardians of teenagers aged 16 to 19 are being reminded by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to extend their Child Benefit claims...

Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons Northern Ireland’s Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons, has issued a robust call for the full...

Families who claim Child Benefit will see an increase in their payment next week, says HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). From 7 April 2025,...

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall  Ulster Unionist South Antrim MP Robin Swann has responded to today’s (Tuesday 18 March) Labour...

Communities minister Gordon Lyons has announced the payment date for the £100 fuel support payment for pensioner households. The payment,...

More than one million working people throughout the United Kingdom are set to experience an uplift in their living standards due to...

The next stage of the ‘Move to Universal Credit (UC)’ has begun for those in receipt of Income Support. The ‘Move to UC’ involves moving...

Communities minister Gordon Lyons Communities minister Gordon Lyons has outlined his ‘zero-tolerance approach’ to benefit fraud in a...

Local leading older person’s charity Agewell Partnership has welcomed the decision by Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons to issue...