NEWS

Saturday 03 October 2026 There were 560 reports of social media and email account hacking in Northern Ireland during the 2025/26 financial year, as police urge people to take simple steps to stop criminals gaining access to their digital lives. Police say compromised accounts can give fraudsters access to personal information and trusted networks of family and friends, allowing them to impersonate victims and ask contacts for money or promote bogus offers. Detective Inspector

Saturday 03 October 2026 People looking for love online are being warned never to send money to someone they have only met through the internet, after romance scams resulted in reported losses of more than £814,000 in Northern Ireland last year. In 2025, 61 dating scams were reported in Northern Ireland, with victims reporting combined losses of £814,400 — an average of more than £13,000 per report. Police believe the true scale of the crime could be higher because some victi

Friday 02 October 2026 Smokers across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to use Stoptober as their starting point to quit for good, with more than 500 free support services available through pharmacies, GP practices, health trusts and community settings. Evidence highlighted by the Public Health Agency (PHA) shows that people who stop smoking for 28 days are much more likely to quit permanently, while getting professional support can further improve the chances of success.

Tuesday 29 September 2026 People in Ballymena and across Northern Ireland will be able to contact neighbourhood police, raise local concerns and help shape policing priorities through a free platform rolling out on Thursday 1 October. PSNI Connect will allow residents, businesses and community groups to receive updates from local officers and feedback on how police are addressing issues in their area. Users can choose which information they receive, including crime prevention

Sunday 27 September 2026 Almost half of Northern Ireland households have never switched electricity supplier, despite a sharp rise in consumers shopping around for a new provider and more than 112,000 domestic customers changing supplier during 2025. New figures from the Utility Regulator show 404,004 domestic electricity customers — 47% of the market — had never moved from the incumbent supplier by the end of last year, although that proportion has fallen from 49% in 2024. T

Friday 25 September 2026 People facing lengthy waits for healthcare in Northern Ireland are set to receive more free community-based support after a £500,000 funding scheme was extended for another year. The Support While Waiting Grant Scheme will fund charities to provide practical assistance, emotional and mental health support, and help patients manage existing conditions while they remain on Health and Social Care waiting lists. £5,000 to £30,000 grants available Health M

Wednesday 23 September 2026 Residents across Mid and East Antrim can now check their bin collection information and report a missed collection through a streamlined online service launched by the borough council. The new waste and recycling dashboard is intended to give households quicker access to everyday collection information, including real-time updates when services change. Check collections and report missed bins Residents can use the dashboard from home to check their

Tuesday 22 September 2026 A Ballyclare builder has been given a suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of six fraud offences in a case involving a Belfast homeowner who paid more than £32,000 for an extension that was left substantially unfinished. The homeowner had agreed a £32,000 price with Kyle Agnew, 38, of Charles Drive, Ballyclare, who was trading as KA Building Services. By February 2022, £31,825 had been paid, but major elements of the project remained in

L-R: Jenny Marshall, Executive Director for Community Programmes, William McCaughey, Vice Chair of Agewell, Cora McQuillian, Dots Sales & Marketing Officer, Nigel McKeown, Dots Gardening Home & Life Assistant A new gardening and outdoor maintenance service has launched in Ballymena, offering practical help to older people and other local residents who may struggle to keep on top of their gardens. The service has been introduced by Dots, the social enterprise operated by Agewe

Monday 21 September 2026 Ryanair has demanded the immediate resignation of NATS chief executive Martin Rolfe as a fresh air traffic control technical failure causes flight disruption at both Belfast International and Belfast City airports. The airline says more than 25,000 of its passengers are expected to be disrupted, with over 140 Ryanair flights delayed, and has called on Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander to remove Mr Rolfe if he does not step down voluntarily. The disr

Carly Heggarty, Equality and Wellbeing Manager at Northern Regional College and Shannon Murphy Education Support Co-Ordinator pictured with the Autism NI Award Monday 21 September 2026 Northern Regional College has achieved Autism NI’s Impact Award for Education after introducing practical measures designed to make college life more accessible and supportive for autistic and neurodivergent students. The recognition follows tailored Autism NI training for staff and the develop

Hannah Buchanan, Haematology Clinical Nurse Specialist Blood cancer can affect people of all ages and its symptoms can sometimes be mistaken for other illnesses, prompting the Northern Health and Social Care Trust to urge people to know the warning signs and seek medical advice if something does not feel right. September marks Blood Cancer Awareness Month, with health professionals using the campaign to highlight symptoms including unusual bruising or bleeding, extreme tire

Thursday 17 September 2026 Around 860,000 households across Northern Ireland will receive £63 off their electricity costs from 6 October, with support applied automatically to bill-paying and keypad customers. The Household Electricity Discount Scheme is not means-tested and the amount does not depend on how much electricity a household uses. No application is needed. For pre-pay and keypad customers, there is an important detail: anyone wanting the full £63 credit in one go

Wednesday 16 September 2026 Young men and boys across Northern Ireland are being urged to challenge misogyny in group chats, gaming platforms and social media as new figures show increases in reports of online stalking, harassment, blackmail and intimate image abuse. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, police recorded 1,971 reports of online stalking and harassment — a 12% increase on the previous year — alongside 591 reports of online blackmail, up 11%, and 110 reports i

Tuesday 15 September 2026 Nearly 8,000 Baby Loss Certificates have been issued to bereaved parents and families in Northern Ireland in the first four months of a scheme designed to formally recognise babies lost before 24 weeks of pregnancy. The Baby Loss Certificate Scheme launched in June 2026, offering families a tangible acknowledgement of a loss which historically may not have been formally recorded. Certificates are available to anyone who has experienced the loss of a

Andrew, Ballymena Rural Warden; a resident of Cullybackey Fold and Paul, PSNI Crime Prevention Officer educate senior citizens on scams. Senior citizens across Mid and East Antrim are being given practical advice to help them recognise scams and protect themselves from fraud. Community Safety Wardens are distributing copies of The Little Book of Big Scams, which explains some of the most common types of fraud, the warning signs people should watch for and steps they can take

Inshore Lifeboat Terry. (Image: Jason Bain, RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer, Larne) Two people have been brought safely ashore after their fishing boat suffered a mechanical failure in Larne Harbour on Sunday morning. RNLI volunteers launch to help stricken boat Larne RNLI’s volunteer crew launched the inshore lifeboat Terry shortly before midday after HM Coastguard received a report from one of the crew members that their vessel had broken down. The lifeboat was requested to lau

Students heading into Freshers’ Week are being urged to look out for each other and know when to call for emergency help as universities welcome a new intake across Northern Ireland. Alcohol and drug charity ASCERT says the start of university life can bring new friendships, nights out and social events, but for some young people it may also be the first time they have consumed alcohol or faced pressure to drink more — or more quickly — than they normally would. The charity i

Northern Ireland’s lowest-earning households are being left with an average of just £53.17 a week after taxes and basic household spending, new research has revealed. The latest Northern Ireland Household Expenditure Tracker from the Consumer Council shows some improvement in household finances at the beginning of 2026 — but spending power remains dramatically below where it was five years ago. For the lowest-income quarter of households, discretionary income has fallen by 35

A typical Share Energy customer will face an extra £129 a year in electricity costs after the supplier confirmed a 12.6% increase in its standard 24-hour tariff from 1 October 2026. The estimated annual increase applies to both credit and prepayment customers. The Consumer Council described the rise as “very unwelcome news” for around 41,000 Share Energy consumers. Customers struggling to pay their bills or top up their meters are being urged to contact their supplier for hel