Publications

The Anti-Poverty Strategy Group is made up of former members of the Anti-Poverty Co-Design Group which was convened by the Minister for Communities in January 2021 to work alongside the Department of Communities to co design an Anti-Poverty Strategy for Northern Ireland.

Advice NI response to this consultation flags actions that we believe are in the category of ‘must do’ / ‘can be done’, so that emerging into the future there are some actions that happen that improve the situation in terms of improving access and indeed possibly widening the eligibility criteria and widening access to Free School Meals and Uniform Grant eligibility.

Thematic report to the UN General Assembly on “Welfare and Control: The paternalism of support”.

Advice NI’s interest in this Inquiry comes from our direct experience of financial exclusion – which is pervasive in NI – and our desire to find upstream solutions to this and other financial challenges.

Comments regarding the draft Strategic Direction document can be sent to: Deputy CEO Fiona Magee, fiona@adviceni.net. Deadline for consultation is Friday 28th February 2025 at 5pm.

Read our 2024 Annual Report which provides an overview of our work from April 2023 - March 2024.

Read Advice NI's evidence to the Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations inquiry.

Following representations made by the independent advice network about inequalities in the policy on recovery of overpayments, on 30 September 2024 the Department for Communities (DfC) amended its procedures with regard to certain overpayments of Welfare Supplementary Payments (WSPs) to allow affected claimants to make an application for a discretionary waiver where they have grounds to do so.

Read Advice NI's response to Making Work Pay: Strengthening Statutory Sick Pay.

Advice NI welcomes the ‘Good Jobs’ consultation and supports the efforts of the Minister and the Department in relation to: Terms of Employment, Pay and Benefits, Voice and Representation, Work-life Balance.

 

Advice NI examine the issue of Winter Fuel Payments, the proposed changes, and the importance of backdating Pension Credit applications to the Winter Fuel Payment ‘qualifying week’.

Sustainable Energy Communities NI is a two year partnership project funded by the National Lottery Climate Action Fund.

Advice NI undertook the Ofcom-commissioned Rights4Seniors project with the recognition that Northern Ireland (NI) is the most digitally excluded region within the UK and that older people are among the most digitally excluded demographic. The purpose of this project was to build the media literacy of a cohort of digitally excluded older people and give them greater confidence in carrying out basic but important online tasks.

The Victims’ Payments Board has partnered with Advice NI to provide free, independent advice and guidance on money management and debt to individuals entitled to payments under the Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme.