NEWS

Sainsbury’s in Ballymena Motorists across Northern Ireland have been reassured that fuel continues to be delivered as normal, despite reports over the weekend of shortages at a small number of local filling stations. The reassurance from Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald comes as drivers face a sharp rise in costs at the pumps, with new figures showing petrol and diesel prices have climbed to their highest levels in more than two years. Dr Archibald said there is no conf

Pictured are the four UK farming union presidents, Andrew Connon, NFU Scotland, Tom Bradshaw, NFU, William Irvine, UFU and Abi Reader, NFU Cymru pictured at today’s Summit. Geopolitical tensions thousands of miles away are now hitting home for UK farmers — and the consequences could soon be felt on dinner tables across the country. Farming leaders from across the UK gathered in Newry for urgent talks, warning that escalating global instability — particularly in the Middle Eas

Millions of UK workers who rely on their cars for their jobs could soon see long-overdue financial relief, as HM Treasury confirms a review of approved mileage rates ahead of a future Budget. The announcement, issued by the UK Government, comes after more than a decade without change—despite rising fuel, insurance and maintenance costs leaving many workers covering the gap themselves. Rates unchanged since 2011 Approved mileage allowance payment rates have remained frozen sin

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald pictured with the new regulations Northern Ireland is set to become the first region on these islands to provide paid leave for parents affected by miscarriage, in what has been described as a “meaningful difference” for thousands of families each year. From 6 April 2026, new regulations confirmed by Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald will give working parents the right to take up to two weeks of paid leave following a miscarriage, ext

Twilight Coffee & Bunkhouse, Carnlough A Carnlough couple behind a popular coffee shop and bunkhouse have issued a stark warning about the future of Northern Ireland’s hospitality industry, saying rising costs and a 20% VAT rate are pushing independent businesses to the brink. Robert and Tiffany McKay, owners of Twilight Coffee & Bunkhouse on the Antrim Coast , say many cafés, restaurants and pubs are now operating with “practically non-existent” margins — forcing difficult d

Motorists across the UK are facing a sharp rise in fuel costs, with diesel prices climbing to their highest level in more than three years and further increases expected in the days ahead. The latest data and analysis from the RAC paints a stark picture for drivers, particularly as households prepare for the busy Easter travel period. Diesel drivers hit hardest According to RAC head of policy Simon Williams , diesel users are bearing the brunt of the surge. “Given how many re

Anyone planning a holiday or needing to renew their passport is being urged to act quickly, as new UK passport fees are set to come into force from 8 April 2026. The increases, subject to parliamentary approval, will affect almost every type of application — meaning waiting even a few weeks could cost applicants more. What’s changing? The new fee structure will see notable rises across online, postal, premium, and overseas applications: Standard online (UK): Adults: £94.50 →

Inset: Cara Hunter MLA Households across Northern Ireland are feeling the strain of rising home heating oil prices, with one MLA warning that families are under increasing pressure and demanding urgent answers from government. East Londonderry SDLP MLA Cara Hunter has confirmed she has tabled a series of Assembly questions aimed at tackling what she describes as growing concerns over affordability, fairness and support for those most affected. Her intervention follows report

Oil tanker Finance Minister John O’Dowd has criticised a new funding package aimed at helping households with rising heating oil costs, warning the support could amount to just £35 per home in Northern Ireland. The Minister said the £17.2 million allocated for heating oil support in 2026/27 is “disappointing and falls far short of what is needed” , given the region’s heavy reliance on oil for home heating. His comments follow confirmation from the UK Government that funding

Families across Northern Ireland are set to receive a share of a new £50 million support package aimed at helping households struggling with soaring heating oil prices. The UK Government has confirmed that £17 million will be allocated to Northern Ireland, where reliance on heating oil is significantly higher than in other parts of the UK, leaving many families exposed to sudden price spikes. The announcement comes as kerosene — the fuel used in most home heating oil systems

Inset: Northern Ireland Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald Households facing a sudden surge in energy costs must receive urgent and meaningful support, Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald has said following discussions with the British Government. Speaking after a meeting on Saturday evening, 14 March, with Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Martin McCluskey MP, the Minister said intervention must be “meaningful, targete

Northern Ireland Finance Minister John O’Dowd Northern Ireland’s Finance Minister has warned that any new government support to help households with rising energy costs must fully include families who rely on home heating oil — a common reality across communities including Ballymena. John O’Dowd said the UK Government must ensure any assistance announced by the Chancellor is “meaningful, timely and delivered” in a way that supports households using oil-fired central heating,

Police have issued a stark warning after victims across Northern Ireland lost more than £5 million to investment scams, with some people losing their entire life savings to sophisticated online criminals. The alert from the Police Service of Northern Ireland comes after investigators linked a growing number of cases to fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes, where scammers build relationships with victims before persuading them to invest increasing amounts of money. Des

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons pictured with Julia Cleeland, Operations Director, Mid & East Antrim Community Advice Service, and Paul Frew MLA at a recent visit to Mid & East Antrim Community Advice Service. A major programme designed to help people access debt advice earlier and more easily will continue into the next financial year after strong early results across Northern Ireland. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has confirmed that the Integrated Advice Partnership F

North Antrim Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland Families across North Antrim could face deeper hardship if welfare spending is reduced to boost defence funding, according to Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland. The party’s poverty spokesperson said calls from senior DUP figures to divert money away from welfare budgets were “catastrophically out of touch” with the pressures facing households during the ongoing energy crisis. Her comments follow remarks from DUP leaders Arlene Foster and

Inset: Northern Ireland’s Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald Northern Ireland’s Economy Minister has moved to clarify what she describes as “misleading” claims about an £81 million support package aimed at helping households with electricity bills. Dr Caoimhe Archibald said inaccurate assertions about the funding risk confusing the public at a time when many families are already worried about rising energy costs. The funding, announced in the British Chancellor’s Autumn 20

More than 55,000 electricity customers across Northern Ireland are set to see their bills rise from April after two suppliers confirmed significant tariff increases. Click Energy will increase its electricity tariff by 9.5%, while Share Energy customers will face a much larger rise of 26.4%, with both changes coming into effect on 1 April 2026. The increases mean a typical Click Energy household could pay around £108 more per year, while a typical Share Energy customer could

Northern Ireland electricity supplier Share Energy has confirmed a significant increase to its electricity unit rate from 1 April 2026, with customers set to pay noticeably more per kilowatt hour while the daily standing charge remains unchanged. The change comes after the company held its prices steady for the past two years, despite rising costs across the wider energy market. Unit price rising by more than 6p per kWh Under the current Share 24 Keypad tariff, customers pay:

Antrim Area Hospital car park Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has tabled draft legislation to defer the abolition of hospital parking charges, citing financial pressures on the health system. The draft Hospital Parking Charges Bill was introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly this week. If passed, it will delay the full implementation of the Hospital Parking Charges (NI) Act 2022, which provides for a ban on charging vehicles in hospital car parks. Delay driven by funding pr

Gas customers across Ballymena and the wider Ten Towns network are set to see their bills fall again from April after Northern Ireland’s energy regulator completed its latest tariff review. The Utility Regulator has confirmed a 10.1% decrease to the regulated gas tariff for Firmus Energy customers in the Ten Towns area. The reduction, which comes into effect on 1 April 2026, is expected to reduce the average annual bill by around £94 for domestic and small business customers.