Poverty in Northern Ireland: from the local to the global

Executive Summary The terms of reference for this report centred around undertaking an evidence synthesis/systematic review of literature published in the period 1st January 2020 to 31st December 2024, on the topic of poverty in Northern Ireland. In addition, the terms of reference wanted an analysis of levels of poverty in Northern Ireland, compared to the rest of the UK, the Republic of Ireland and some international comparators from Europe and the rest of the world. The G12 countries, plus the Republic of Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales, were determined to make a suitable group to make comparisons with. The report that follows synthesises published research literature and reports and then sets poverty in Northern Ireland within a broader national and international context. This evidence is then used to make informed recommendations that could support effective anti-poverty policy interventions in Northern Ireland. This review provides an evidence synthesis of the literature on poverty in Northern Ireland since 2020. A systematic search across five major databases was undertaken: Scopus, Web of Science, Social Policy and Practice, PsycINFO, and Medline. A total of 622 studies were retrieved from academic, government, policy, and non-statutory sources. These studies were exported to Evidence for Policy and Practice Information Centre (EPPI) Reviewer (Version: 6.16.0.0) for screening and data extraction. After identifying and removing 350 duplicates, two reviewers conducted an initial screening of titles and abstracts, excluding 219 records based on inclusion criteria. Subsequently, 82 records underwent full-text screening, with 53 meeting the inclusion criteria and being incorporated into the evidence synthesis. The findings from these 53 studies are organised into eight key thematic areas: child poverty, health poverty, food poverty, energy poverty, educational outcomes, housing and homelessness, employment poverty, and the cost of living. International Comparisons Poverty in Northern Ireland is contextualised by comparing it with the G12 countries and Republic of Ireland. Comparative analysis revealed that, in terms of income, Northern Ireland ranked 16th out of 17 countries. However, it ranks first in terms of low unemployment, demonstrating a strong labour market presence. Northern Ireland holds the 14th out of 17 countries for life expectancy, while for child poverty, it is ranked 7th out of 17. In educational outcomes, Northern Ireland’s reading scores place it 9th among the 17 comparator countries. These findings provide a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted nature of poverty in Northern Ireland and offer insights into its relative position on the global stage. Recommendations There is an urgent need to develop a comprehensive anti-poverty strategy in Northern Ireland with measurable targets. Department for Communities (2024) report that 349,000 people live in poverty in Northern Ireland. These strategies need to be resilient and robust in the face of a changing and sometimes unstable political climate in Northern Ireland. This means a cross-community, cross-party approach to poverty developed and approved by the Northern Ireland Assembly that develops long-term solutions to poverty by: • Developing a clear plan to eradicate poverty by the provision of financial aid packages to ensure all households have monthly income of greater than £373 per week (the figure set by the Government as being the threshold for living in poverty or not living in poverty). • Reform of welfare policies and a movement away from neoliberalism ideology underpinning these policies. • Addressing health inequalities with significant financial investment into life-changing interventions in the poorest areas of Northern Ireland, where health inequalities are greatest. • Addressing food poverty and ensuring that all families in Northern Ireland can live without food insecurity. • Undertaking historical and planned future high-quality analysis of Northern Ireland longitudinal data sets (e.g., health data, benefits data, school attainment data, population census data) to examine patterns of poverty and inequality, looking at how public policy and Government decisions have influenced outcomes, and make similar comparisons to England, Scotland, Wales, the Republic of Ireland and suitable international countries. • Investment in, and support for, affordable childcare to ensure parents (especially those who may be primary care givers) can take their place in the workforce and by being economically active increased their household income. This ultimately would lift many families out of poverty. • Improving the quality and availability of housing, ensuring affordable rental property was well insulated, energy efficient, and free from damp and mould. This would reduce poverty, improve health of the renting population and their children, and help Government meet targets on carbon emissions. • Improving access to all forms of education, especially for disadvantaged groups, where publicly funded schools should educate a representative section of the communities they serve. In essence, the Northern Ireland Assembly should set quotas for free school meal entry for grammar schools that are representative of the geographic areas in which they are situated. • Address transport and digital poverty, particularly in rural areas.

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