NEWS

Thursday 5 November 2026 Almost one in four children living in poverty in Northern Ireland are not eligible for free school meals, according to major new UK-wide research highlighting significant inequalities in the financial support available to struggling families. The findings, published today (Thursday 5 November), reveal that 24% of children in poverty in Northern Ireland fall outside free school meal eligibility, compared with 17% in Scotland and 18% in Wales. Following

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Cllr Thomas Gordon is pictured with staff and volunteers during a visit to Vincent’s to learn about the work of the Society of St Vincent de Paul in Ballymena and the need for more volunteers to join SVP. Saturday 10 October 2026 People in Ballymena are being encouraged to give a few hours of their time to help neighbours facing poverty, hardship and social isolation, as the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) launches a new volunt

(L-R): Breast cancer patient Joanna Bingham pictured with two other breast cancer speakers, Kasia Garble (50) from Belfast and Ann McBrien (63) also from Belfast, alongside Dr Damien Bennett, Director of the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (NICR) at Queen's University Belfast. Saturday 10 October 2026 Women living in Northern Ireland's lowest-value homes are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer, with major research also revealing a stark divide i

Members of the Society of St Vincent de Paul Regional Board were joined by Volunteer Ambassador for the North Region, Malachi Cush, at the St Vincent de Paul Feast Day Mass. Thursday 01 October 2026 The quiet work of volunteers helping individuals and families through hardship was recognised at a special Mass in Ballymena, where St Vincent de Paul members gathered from across the charity’s North Region. A large congregation attended All Saints’ Church to mark the Feast Day of

Anne Irwin, Regional President; Mary Waide, National Vice President; and Anne McLarnon, Regional Vice President; are pictured at the launch of a volunteer recruitment campaign which aims to encourage people from across the Region to join the Society and make a difference in their local communities. Friday 18 September 2026 People across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to give some of their time to supporting people and families experiencing poverty and social exclusion,

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

People living with chronic pain in Northern Ireland’s most deprived communities are experiencing substantially greater levels of depression, disability and disruption to everyday life, according to new research. The study of 491 patients found the burden associated with chronic pain became progressively worse as deprivation increased, with researchers warning that people in the most deprived areas can face up to three times the level of pain-related problems affecting mental

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

Senior officials from the Department for Communities will face further scrutiny at Stormont this week after a key Assembly committee criticised the department’s latest update on tackling child poverty as “wholly inadequate”. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has recalled departmental representatives to provide fresh oral evidence on Thursday, 12 March, amid mounting concern about the pace of progress on the Child Poverty Strategy in Northern Ireland. The move follows a stro