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 […]
School Uniforms (Trousers) Bill The Ad Hoc Committee on the School Uniforms (Trousers) Bill is considering the Bill. The School Uniforms (Trousers) Bill was introduced by the Committee for Education to the Assembly in June 2026 and passed its Second Stage in June 2026. The Bill amends the School Uniforms Act to create a statutory right for […]
The latest Consortium research paper ‘Mental Health Matters for Women’ has been published and is available on the Consortium’s website. The full report contains a wealth of evidence from women on the contributory factors to their poor mental health, the impact of poor mental health on their lives and the supports they need and are […]
The Department for Communities is holding a 12-week public consultation on a new Warm Healthy Homes Fund for Northern Ireland. This consultation seeks views on the Department’s proposed model for the delivery of energy efficiency measures to low-income households. This public consultation aims to capture the views from anyone with an interest or opinion on […]
UCD/IPCOR study was developed to explore the experiences, information needs and support needs of partners of people diagnosed with prostate cancer in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Many eligible participants are women in rural communities whose experiences following a partner’s diagnosis may not otherwise be heard. The anonymous online survey takes approximately 10–15 minutes to complete […]
As we move into July, the Women’s Regional Consortium continues to work alongside partners and campaign groups to advocate for policies that tackle poverty, support carers, and strengthen social security protections for women and families across Northern Ireland. This month’s update highlights our ongoing involvement in the Guarantee Our Essentials campaign, our work with the […]
The government launched the Timms Review to try and ensure that Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is fair and fit for the future in a changing world, and that it helps support disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence, including through employment. The Call for Evidence was aimed at organisations and […]
The Education Committee published a call for evidence on the Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill. It seeks to restore the ‘Holiday Hunger’ payments which were made to those entitled to Free School Meals during holiday periods. These payments were stopped in 2023. It was one of the key asks of Consortium research into the impact […]
The Right to Food UK Commission’s call for evidence on a Right to Food law sought to consider the following: The extent and nature of food insecurity across the UK, including the various nations and regions and specific localities The effects of malnutrition and food insecurity on public health outcomes in the UK The impact […]
The Department for Communities is consulting on the Warm Healthy Homes Fund. This is an energy efficiency scheme to improve warmth, health and energy affordability of low-income households in the owner-occupier and private rented sectors. This Fund will replace the Affordable Warmth Scheme which has been in place since 2014. The proposals include: Eligibility qualification […]
