Response to the draft Anti-Poverty Strategy

NIAPN will submit the following response to the consultation on the draft NI Executive’s Anti-Poverty Strategy. We encourage organisations to use part or all of our submission. It can be downloaded in an editable word document at the bottom of this page.

NIAPN, along with over 75 organisations, academics and faith leaders – including the members of the Expert Panel and the Anti-Poverty Strategy Group (formally the co-design group) believe that the Northern Ireland Executive’s draft Anti-Poverty ‘Strategy’ does not meet the criteria of a reasonable strategy.

The Department for Communities should completely re-write this draft Anti-Poverty Strategy (APS) and do so at pace. Whilst there is a legal duty on the Executive to produce a strategy based on objective need, this draft Anti-Poverty Strategy is not fit for purpose.

This draft Strategy fails to fulfil what oversight bodies, including the NI Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee, outline as the basic elements of any strategy.

The NI Audit Office said that “an integrated cross departmental anti-poverty strategy [should] ensure that the focus is on a number of properly defined and more specific actions” and “it should include an action plan containing clearly defined indicators and targets aimed at quantifying and reducing poverty.”

The Public Accounts Committee said that there is a “clear need for targets and outcomes that are quantitative, qualitative and time-bound to properly measure performance and demonstrate the impact of strategic actions.” It also considered that “a strategy which does not have specific resources devoted to it is never going to be as effective as it could be.”

The draft APS states that the outcomes “will be delivered through a Programme of Delivery which will include a range of actions, to be included in action plans.” Yet, the public has not had an opportunity to scrutinise nor comment on either the Programme of Delivery nor the action plans. We agree with the vision to eradicate poverty, but this draft Strategy does not provide a pathway to reach that vision.

The framework of this draft strategy is individualistic and not systemic. The three pillars do not reflect the lived experience of poverty. The Expert Advisory Panel and the Anti-Poverty Strategy Group provided recommendations based on what the evidence shows has worked to reduce poverty. Nowhere is there any evidence that the “three pillar approach” the department has taken will work.

The language within the draft Anti-Poverty Strategy reinforces the stigmatisation of people experiencing poverty, making it an individual problem which can be solved by changes to ‘lifestyle’ – while ignoring the systemic causes of poverty. For example, it is true that family break-down is a risk factor for poverty but the “solution” offered by the document is not to help deal with the financial stress that causes some families to break up but to promote ‘good family structure’.

NIAPN supports the Expert Advisory Panel and the Anti-Poverty Strategy Group’s life-cycle approach to addressing poverty, and agrees with the principles set out by the Anti-Poverty Strategy Group:

The Department cannot just amend this draft ‘Strategy’, it needs to be completely rewritten using the evidence-based recommendations from the Expert Advisory Panel and Anti-Poverty Strategy Group. Furthermore, we endorse the evidence-based recommendations contained the Welfare Mitigations review, and the Independent Review of Discretionary Support.

The Department must adhere to the recommendations from its oversight bodies, which recognised the need to avoid past mistakes. Evidence from the NI Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee emphasised that the APS should have measureable targets, time frames, funding and an independent oversight body.

Finally, the Department has not engaged systematically with people experiencing poverty. 

Nowhere is the voice, experience, expertise, and insights of people experiencing poverty seen in either the descriptions of the barriers or the solutions to them. Additionally, there is no mechanism illustrated within the draft Anti-Poverty Strategy to engage meaningfully with people with lived experience of poverty throughout the development, implementation, and duration of the strategy.

We have engaged with members of our local communities about what they would like to see in an Anti-Poverty Strategy. Below are their views on the draft APS and what they believe should be included within it:

Have you anything you want to say about whether the draft Anti-Poverty Strategy will make a difference to the hardship that people will face?

I can see no change, no help, no care for those of us in poverty. This is a disgrace.

Not much change, seems more ‘continuing’ and ‘research’ less new actions.

It is not fit for purpose. It doesn’t commit to changes so can’t be challenged. It’s not fit to wipe my backside with.

Vicious cycle that won’t really bring people out of poverty.

Many of the actions already exist and so will do little to lower the rates of poverty. Moreover, a lack of actionable targets/time frames leaves little space for accountability.

Ridiculous that it’s taken 19 years to continue what’s already in place!

All children entitled to free school meals and help with school uniforms

Universal Credit is causing hardship and should be scrapped.

How does this Strategy compare to other countries and to Europe? The Strategy seems to be gender blind. Intersection is not just disabilities. While the Strategy does mention migrant families it doesn’t look at the full picture of social inclusion and poverty.

No specific changes, still delivering stuff that has already been in the system. No concrete changes.

It is astonishing in this day and age that there is so much need for charitable organisations. The government should meet its obligations to support all members of our society.

Nothing has changed

The Cost of Living has gone up so much, some families are really struggling even people who work are sometimes worse off.

Costs need to be capped such as childcare and rent and the cost of school uniforms.

someone needs to be accountable

Nothing has changed, prices keep rising so there is more poverty. No incentive to get into work, basic needs not met.

There’s nothing concrete, it needs to be more specific with targets and actions that will make a real impact.

People need things explained in a way they can understand.

There are groups I don’t see like younger people with disabilities

They need to understand how their decisions affect both unemployed and working people.

One voice chases a single echo, and a group that is big enough can shake the ground and cannot be ignored

I don’t think there are any set in stone or reasonable targets mentioned, so it is still an open book. There need to be actual goals/targets in order to make change.

It is not a serious strategy. It lacks targets, and clear resources to for the actions needed.

Definitely needs improvement. Help to transition to Universal Credit as the stress has not helped my mental health.

It is getting the changes implemented; reducing financial hardship; lifting the two-child limit.

They didn’t mention single mums in the draft. There is no scheme for single mums to get into training or employability and education.

It doesn’t really say what will be done or what is being done.

Many of the points made seem to be pre-existing, however because so vague it’s hard to tell what will be done.

A lot of things are already in place like free school meals so there will be no positive change. May have an impact on individuals but not suitable for all. Need more awareness of what poverty is for people to recognise what it is.

The Anti – Poverty Strategy will make very little to no difference for those of us in financial hardship! The draft that has been released is quite frankly a slap in the face. I myself see hardship everyday! I work with it, I see it and iv lived it. What I can see in this draft is a continuation of what already exists no big changes no big plans … no money! How any government could listen to lived experience, nod along with it and then publish a document as cold, heartless and meaningless as that, is a real shame for Northern Ireland. I am disgusted and I know I’m not alone.

Personally, I don’t see it as fit for purpose because it fails to set out the concrete steps needed to tackle poverty meaningfully. Despite legal and political obligations, the draft strategy does not properly reflect expert recommendations, lived experiences of those in poverty, or the wider social and economic challenges—such as the cost-of-living crisis, austerity, and an inadequate welfare system. It lacks a robust, evidence-based, and cross-departmental approach. A genuine strategy must be comprehensive, adaptable, and driven by clear commitments and actions across all government departments to have any real impact.

There are no concrete actions more than is already in place.

Women do not know what they are entitled to, not enough information available. Strategy is all about “continuing” already existing methods which clearly are not good enough.

These people are throwing poor people’s issues into a pot and sitting them on a dark shelf. People are crying out for help, and no one is listening. People are unseen.

NO real confirmation of changes with actual measurable budgets or targets and planned impact

No it doesn’t change things like uniform grants that should not just be for people on benefits. They have not put things into it that weren’t already there.

Keeping people below the baseline by not increasing what’s working

They haven’t put anything new in it. They don’t help working people. People are staying in poverty and Universal Credit is making people worse off than they were.

Government must listen, understand and bring in measures to change poverty in our community.

I don’t think anything will change for me from this.

I don’t think anyone listens to working class people that are living through all of this.

Wages from work can be poor and salaries sometimes do not cover everything.

There government’s strategy is absolute nonsense. Tehre is no targets, no accountability and it seems no actual interest in sorting out poverty in NI. They have to listen to hte professional recommendations that they were given.

I think more needs to be done with housing. Support is needed to get people jobs and a safety net for those that work hard but still can’t make enough to survive.

A lot of Strategies haven’t changed for many years.

It took time to get this draft Strategy so the figures they were using would have possibly doubled or even tripled by now.

It comes across like it’s written by people who have no experience of poverty or how people end up in poverty. It’s just going through the motions.

It’s just a continuation of already what is in place and the numbers for poverty are still rising. It is not working.

Give help to people and support them when they get out from prison and don’t make a difference between people who get out from prison and others.

I dont feel it will as there are no measurables, goals or accoutability. Need proof that the strategies in place are helping now nevermind in the future. There is also no mention of increasing grants in general.

A lot of the suggested interventions in the strategy are not new. Research has already been done and there is a stronger set of proposed actions that you could implement.

The women we work with are already unsure of practical resources and services available. How will these changes affect them further?

Talk to people, use their experiences as examples, change the stigma and get conversations going – do polls – need more research to evidence this – that’s when change will happen.

A Strategy with no real change is not going to get us out of what we are already in.

targets need to be met or it will not work. There needs to be accountability

It needs thrown out and they need to start again. No real change in it. Need to hold open talks to hear exactly what people need not what they think will help.

Cost of Living is rising and wages aren’t going up. Rents need to be capped.

the system punishes people who live in poverty. It is totally punitive.

The blatant igmoring of tangable anti-poverty researchg is an affront to pose living with daily hardship. Surely a commitment to change needs more than what is already in existence.

There are suggestions within the draft which have no details added, eg. support for people with disabilities. How will this happen? No further research needed into the impact of 2-child limit on poverty

needs clear objectives and targets, goals and accountability if these goals are not met.

Everything is “continue” so no change. If they’re not listening then they don’t know what needs changed.

This strategy will not work. It is just listing things that are already in place.

I don’t think they fully understand how their decisions effect both working and unemployed people. Poverty is at an all time high.

This is not a strategy, just a list of things the government is already doing

How can Scotland provide a child payment to take children out of poverty when we are keeping people in poverty? How to navigate the system is really really difficult, all online how to people pay for wifi and a smart phone when they are on a state pension with no access to pension credit because a partner is still working.

Can you list some things that you think would make a difference to the financial hardship/poverty you, your family and community experience that you think should be included in the Strategy?

Free school meals extended 30 hours free childcare Rise in Universal Credit/Healthy Start payments Cheaper uniforms or higher payments to help with them – they are not enough.

End the two-child limit. Introduce the child payment here Help with fuel and food costs needed Help with childcare payments for working families so that they can benefit from their earnings and not be working to pay for childcare

More support for people with addictions More support for people up or downsizing according to their housing needs Healthy Start vouchers – pay for a tub of baby milk without having to put money to it. Stop the big wigs high wages and expenses and give them back to the people who need it.

Current caps reviewed to support working families. Increase the thresholds for being able to get help. Warm meals for all school children not just the ones whose families are on benefits. 2-child limit removed.

A universal basic income so everyone’s basic needs are met. Free childcare or a community focused childcare model that does not rely on subsidies which many families don’t feel the benefit of. Providing free school meals over the holiday period to stop holiday hunger among children and young people.

as a family support officer day in day out families are coming in upset, angry because they cant afford to eat or heat their house

Increase Child Benefit and Universal Credit Remove the two-child limit Include nursery age in school uniform grant and increase the grant Solar panels to help cut the costs of electricity Help with childcare Lower afterschool costs – put a cap on them 100% Christmas bonus Increase in the Healthy Start amount Hot meals for ALL children.

Take away Universal Credit

All children having free school meals Increase the threshold for entitlement to uniform grants More help and support with disabilities Moving across to Universal Credit – no 5-week wait without any money

Food prices, electricity and gas prices are getting worse. Price of children’s clothes and uniform and shoes and all essential items are ridiculous.

Have a gateway benefit for those just above the threshold and are not eligible for any benefits/support for example with rates, school meals and uniforms.

Affordable childcare to allow women to go back to work.

School uniforms capped Cost of living, cost of food, electric, clothes, baby food, fuel.

Identify all the areas of intersection – unpaid carers, lone parents, carers, disabilities, pensioners, homeless/insecure housing, rural, crisis due to illness, workers, communities, self employed. Tenancies vs private landlords vs homeless.

Bureaucracy – need to reduce it and make life simpler. Need more information. Make it easier for families to be better off when they do go to work.

Move to generic school uniforms. Subsidise energy costs. Reduce public transport costs.

We need fair and equal pay for everyone (for example there are people in a work place who are doing the same work, but different rates of pay). People on disability and carers are not getting enough to help them face everyday struggles.

Easier access to Universal Credit and easier to apply – feel they are making barriers. Get rid of the two-child limit School uniform cap on costs Raise threshold for free school meals to reflect minimum wage now Having to go back to work when child is 3. It used to be 11. Getting calls from when the child is one year old. Getting childcare is harder No help for working people struggling in poverty Christmas bonus would be helpful to people More support for carers Get rid of zero hours contracts Free school meals for all children Carer support is very lacking. Money doesn’t take into account the electricity to run hospital equipment.

Universal Credit is the worst thing that the Government has done, it has made more poverty than anything and for rents to be capped.

The benefits need to increase along with the cost of living at the same time some things should be capped such as childcare, uniforms and rent.

put more money into school pgrammes, like breakfast clubs and afterschools; every child should get a free bus pass and money money for uniforms. all kids need a hot meal and should have free milk.

Reduce fuel costs, paid into meters and to fuel companies. Information should not be just on social media not everyone accesses this.

Free school meals for all children in primary and secondary schools. Help for the working poor. Make working more attractive – remove the barriers to leaving the benefits system “Not worth working as benefits safe, consistent, so why bother working”

I have mental health issues which are exacerbated by financial situations.

Free meals for all children at school would be a start. Parents are stressed out trying to make their money last and of course the bills get higher and higher. Doing surveys doesn’t work unless you act on them.

More help needed for childcare costs and support from employers with childcare.

I dont want to just be heard, I want to be listened to. We should know how the newer things like RAISE are run and how decisions are made

mothing new. Just things that are already mentioned, eg. school meals, uniforms, etc. but real action needs to be taken around these

Reform of the benefits system, to provide help not penalise those in need.

More help for childcare costs. More help for households on a very low income. More help with school meals Increase in low wages/low incomes.

Not enough information on Universal Credit changeover for people who are disabled!

Lifting the two child limit. Uniform grant increased Help with childcare costs.

Make it easier to get educated to go out to work.

Remove the two child limit More heavily subsidised/free childcare Greater awareness of programmes and help Better access to benefits and awareness Strategy needs to meet same level as rest of UK and ROI – make more of an effort It shouldn’t make more financial sense to stay on benefits than to work – changes are needed.

The Strategies that are being continued need to be reviewed and involve the service users in any new Strategies. Improved and additional support is needed for new services and continuing services. More resources for factors such as education.

Raise uc to meet the cost of living. That’s no brainer. Enforce 30hr free child care across the island like mainland UK. Scrap the two child limit and provide support to families like SCOTLAND. Extended free school meals and actually think about what a school uniform costs and raise their school uniform grant. We want more job security in Northern Ireland and flexible roles. Better paid work!

We need a real Living Wage, because low pay leaves young people struggling to take part in normal social life, pushing many towards addictions. Families need benefits that match the true cost of living, affordable housing, and support with essentials like food, energy, and childcare. Poverty won’t be solved by one department alone — the whole government must act together to give people dignity and stability.

Cap on rents. Cap on uniform costs. School implementing a uniform exchange. Re-instate the Holiday Hunger Scheme. Ask the people living in poverty.

Cost of heating your house and electric is too high especially in Winter.

More understanding of womens hardships – domestic abuse, etc. Women experience poverty differently to men, there is no one size fits all approach. Improved support for women trying to access education and employment, fair pay for both men and women.

We are entitled to our human rights. They should not be violated by the government not providing housing, health care, school meals. Change has to come now.

Real tangible changes. Investment in people and communities to foster real growth in NI. When money can be squandered on photo opportunities, consultants, advisors and expenses it’s time for the NI Executive to spend more wisely. We deserve better!

Making sure that the working wage will help people stay out of poverty. Uniform should be set at the same price for all schools. The two child limit should be lifted as it has a detrimental effect on families.

Need help with housing when you get out of prison. Need help to get benefits sorted when out get out of prison. It’s really hard to get a job when you get out of prison. When you get out of prison you need photographic ID and it’s really hard to get it. Need more put in place to help people before they leave prison so they don’t get out and end up reoffending because they have no home or not enough money to live on. Lot of people are in and out of prison – they get out with no home and end up homeless then end up on drugs and drink – they need to address that so that people don’t end up coming back in. If people are on licence they have some accommodation provided for them – temporary accommodation but if you get out at the end of your sentence you need to find housing. If you’re in prison and you don’t have family support when you get out its hard and people need support. A lot of people don’t have the skills to cope in the real world – they need basic life skills – they don’t know how to live in the real world.

They should put a cap on private rents as people have to pay out of their benefits and its leaving them without money for food and heating. I think that people are getting poorer. Working people have to pay for uniform and dinners and this takes a big chunk of money from their wages and leaves them struggling. I think the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.

Those in power should be challenged to live on the money families in poverty have to survive on. Power lies with the people. We need to encourage people to become aware of the government plans. Join together and demand the changes we need.

If you would actually fund schools then they wouldn’t have to ask parents to provide additional costly items. Cost of school uniforms is extortionate.

Free hot meals for all children at school. Better help with childcare costs. Reduce the price of food, etc. Families are not eating properly so their health and mental health are badly affected.

Better wages Better housing Better support through the benefits system There should be more support for heating, food, electric bills.

free school meal and uniform increase; a better understanding to each disabled persons needs. Stop pigeon holing disabled people; do away with the 5 week universal credit wait because it pushes people into debt. More sensible rules around carers allowance

Helping with everyday life – stop taking the clothes off people’s backs and tell the truth!

Better laws to stop landlords overcharging for rents More support and information for people who want to work but find it hard to live or even eat because the pay is too low.

Moving on from being homeless to try to house people with housing and affordable housing. Issues with the points system for housing. More help with childcare for families in crisis – when they end up taking on another child as someone has gone into prison (mother went into prison and youngest went to her parents but they struggled to get any financial help)

Keep a constant eye on figures every 6/12 months. To listen to grassroots people like those who live and work in the communities that suffer from poverty and not researchers that know nothing about the communities.

I have a child who was a detained patient for more than 18 months. While she was in hospital our outgoings increased dramatically. We had to switch to Universal Credit at a time while I was on half pay from work, the five week wait was really hard and I couldn’t budget because I didn’t know what my income was. I had to use a social supermarket to eat and ran out of money regularly. On top of this we were unable to claim Universal Credit when my child was in hospital and had the Bedroom Tax applied to us. We were given a mitigation payment but without this what would we do? Temporarily move? Universal Credit should remain in place for children in hospital, as should PIP if the child is over 16 and in hospital. We lost over £700 a month at a very stressful time. Also Carer’s Allowance is lower than unemployment benefit and it should be higher with a taper for earnings rather than a cap.

More help with school uniforms £42.50 hardly covers a thing. Also some more stepping stones to help get mothers back to work. Affordable childcare , payments open to everyone to help with costs of childcare or even the 30 free hours childcare that’s already in place in England. We also need more available grants of dec than loans. Help us out of debt not get into it.

Remove the two child limit More help with childcare costs Have a look at whats happening in the Republic of Ireland.

Help with housing when getting out of prison More benefits for children More help for people with a disability Stop benefits when people are not really sick.

there should be fairness and inclusion. We should look into more funding and better strategies.

Free school meal payment over holidays to stop holiday hunger. Introduce a Child Payment like in Scotland. Put a price cap on school uniforms. Increase the School Uniform grant and include costs for shoes.

Help for single parents and disabled people Help with housing and social houses Regulate private rents

Tailored services directed to marginalised groups without a lengthy wait on referral lists.

People’s experiences, the voices of people experiencing these hardships, contacting a range of agencies to support this, looking at different ethnicities and bringing people into the room that are from all over NI.

Increase the school uniform grant Affordable childcare More funding to schools for snacks/classroom equipment Help with gas and electric Schemes to help with the Cost of Living More grants to help with daily living needs – furniture, house appliances, etc.

we need better decision made for change. we need people with life experience to be heard. Need school meal payments for all children. Get rid of 5-week wait for UC.

Reduced meter rate rather than a one off payment for fuel costs – this would cover for longer periods of time during the Winter Disabilities and work – puts pressure on so then puts on more stresses on health. Where are the jobs? Self employed people get no help – there’s nothing for them and small business – the working poor.

Help with school uniforms and school dinners Help to feed families on low incomes.

Help with school uniforms and increase in the level of benefits as the Cost of Living keeps rising. Free school meals for all children. Increase in wages. Rents need to be capped.

Stop pressuring people to get into employment as if it is the only thing in society that gives a person value and makes them visible. Put well being at the heart of an anti poverty strategy. Employment strategies to ‘help’ people into the labour market do not differentiate between a young person starting out a life and an older person, especially women, who has almost reached the end of working life and do not have the energy or capacity to look for work of 35 hours a week.

clear distinction around protections for disabled persons getting back into work – “right to try” scheme in particular. Protections for women and children leaving domestic violence and experiencing post-separation abuse, including vulnerabilities around financial abuse within the current benefit system.

When sudden loss of a fulltime job and forced onto universal credit because of disability, the 5 week wait (which was more iike 8 weeks) is too long as discretionary support only offered £80 for that whole time. Not enough when going from full-time wage to nothing with no real help forces you into more poverty. Get rid of the £6k savings allowance, as someone who saves into an ISA to buy a home should not lose £150 per month when facing the hardest time in my life. I needed the £150 a month to live on, and cannot take money out of ISA, so I am being penalised for having savings from working 16 years. It isn’t good enough If people on universal credit are getting the maximum loans they can, when it comes to repaying it, they do not have enough money for food and household supplies. There should be an automatic referral to a foodbank so they can have the basics to get through the month

universal extended school programmes – more funding such as the free school day; lived experiences should be listened to; there should be a cap on school uniform costs and they should be unbranded. Prevention is possible, we don’t have to wait until people are in crisis. Preventing poverty will increase quality of life, invest in our children’s education and mental health will progress in our job opportunity and money into NI

More help for self-employed people. People working in education not being paid over summer break. Unable to apply for benefits.

uniform costs. free school meals for all. Stop pushing people into poverty and actually help them.

Better examination of what poverty is and how it affects the average person. Implement some of what the Republic of Ireland, England and Scotland are doing.

It took 19 years to get this far to get a draft strategy yet they are not taking immediate action to resolve these problems. Parents are on their knees trying to cope with their bills. It’s no use doing a survey unless you’re going to act on it.

cut child poverty; free school meals; uniform cap; disability

Primary and secondary school children should all get free school meals

Look at our communities can you really think it is appropriate to talk about working towards eradication by 2045 when this strategic vision is going to limit families and our communities. We need support with childcare for working families, we need a price cap on uniforms and we need to stop wasting more on reactive issues and look at investing the tax payers money into early intervention and prevention. Do the people who hold power in these decisions want to see what real poverty is – look at our food banks, our local family support hubs, our full time working families struggling to pay bills with the cost of living. NI is in a state of crisis.