Campaigns:  Guarantee our Essentials

Siobhán is part of a campaign from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Trussell Trust calling for an Essentials Guarantee within Universal Credit.  The Essentials Guarantee would embed in the social security system a principle that at a minimum Universal Credit should protect people from going without essentials.

You can read more about the campaign here:

https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/guarantee-our-essentials

 

Campaigns:  Coalition of Carers

Siobhán continues to attend regular meetings of the Coalition of Carers which is chaired by Carers NI.  The Coalition is made up of a number of organisations all working to highlight the key issues that carers are facing across Northern Ireland.

 

Campaigns:  Cost of Living 24

Siobhán is part of a coalition of organisations led by Inspire Wellbeing NI who have come together to host a one-stop shop service for the many impacts of the Cost-of-Living Crisis.  The Cost of Living 24 campaign aims to make navigating community and voluntary services easy, local and accessible, thanks to a dedicated webpage and freephone number.  The partnership provides information and advice on a range of subjects: benefits and entitlements, fuel and child poverty, affordable childcare and housing. It also signposts to foodbanks in towns and cities throughout Northern Ireland.

Cost of Living 24 offers support and information via:

Webpage: www.communitywellbeing.info/cost-of-living-24 (Or search ‘Community Wellbeing Cost of Living 24’)

Freephone: 0808 189 0036

Webchat: www.communitywellbeing.info

 

Campaigns:  Cliff Edge

Siobhán continues to attend meetings of the Cliff Edge Coalition Working Group which is working to strengthen the existing mitigations package for Northern Ireland.

Ahead of an SDLP motion on the impact of the Universal Credit 5-week wait Cliff Edge wrote to all MLAs outlining the Cliff Edge key strengthening ask to ‘Resolve the 5-week wait in UC’ which has been shown to increase poverty, lead to food bank use, debt and cause anxiety and distress.  Cliff Edge wants to see urgent renaming of the UC Contingency Fund to the UC New Claims Payment, increased investment in the Fund & its active promotion to new claimants migrating to UC as well as removing it from Discretionary Support.

Cliff Edge welcomed the passing of the motion on Monday 11 February 2025 with an Alliance Party amendment as follows:

“That this Assembly expresses regret that over 349,000 people are living in poverty; recognises that social welfare payments play an important role in helping people cope with financial difficulties; outlines its concern that over 71,000 households will be affected by the move to Universal Credit and consequent five-week wait; acknowledges that there is a strong connection between the five-week wait, debt and increased food bank use; expresses alarm on the potential link between the five-week wait and exploitation by illegal money lenders; and calls on the Minister for Communities to rename and widen eligibility for the Universal Credit Contingency Fund and introduce a system of backdating for claimants’ first Universal Credit assessment period, in order to reduce and remove the five-week wait.”