WRC is represented on the Cliff Edge Coalition Working Group which is working to strengthen the existing mitigations package for Northern Ireland.

The Coalition is becoming increasingly concerned about the looming cliff edge for the Benefit Cap mitigation.  The Benefit Cap is a policy that limits the total amount of social security support that working-age people can receive. It is currently mitigated in Northern Ireland, which means that those who would be affected by it are currently receiving a payment in their benefits equal to what they would have lost under the policy (a ‘Welfare Supplementary Payment’). However, this mitigation is set to expire at the end of March 2025.

Like the Two-Child Limit, the Benefit Cap is a highly gendered policy; 86% of payments to mitigate the Benefit Cap are made to women. If the Benefit Cap mitigation is lost, households who currently rely on these payments will be forced to look to other – often discretionary and inadequate – sources of support. Cliff Edge fears that many will fall into debt as a result.

As part of the working group Siobhán has been working on a video and briefing paper to highlight the urgent need to keep the Benefit Cap mitigation.  The video is currently available on social media and we encourage you to share it as widely as possible:  https://x.com/CliffEdgeNI/status/1850924413908144262

Cliff Edge is writing to all MLAs with the briefing paper to inform them about the upcoming cliff edge and to encourage them to advocate in the Assembly for keeping the Benefit Cap mitigation.  Cliff Edge will be engaging in as much activity as possible over the coming weeks to lobby for the extension of this important mitigation.