News Articles

  • Advice NI logo

    People on the lowest incomes – both in and out of work – have endured a decade of austerity; with freezes and cuts to social security benefits and in-work support; hollowing out support, undermining resilience and ability to cope with adversity.

  • Advice NI logo

    Advice NI responds to plans by the UK Government to begin the managed migration of millions of people in Great Britain off legacy benefits and on to Universal Credit.

  • Advice NI logo

    We welcome the announcement from Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey that the end date for bedroom tax mitigations has been removed.

  • Advice NI logo

    Leading advice charity; Advice NI Head of Policy, Kevin Higgins and Professor Eileen Evason CBE is urgently calling on the NI Executive to extend Welfare Mitigations to alleviate further hardship in NI.

  • Benefits advice icon

    The scheme offers financial support to individuals in Northern Ireland facing crisis situations.

  • The report has taken time and gone into meticulous detail; and ultimately which talks about systemic maladministration on the part of the Department & Capita, putting PIP claimants at systemic disadvantage in terms of the approach taken to how further evidence is obtained.

  • Advice NI publish a comprehensive policy paper aimed at improving various fundamental problems affecting Universal Credit claimants 

  • The Welfare Reform Group has made a number of recommendations designed to better protect social security claimants who are moving to Universal Credit.

  • The Department for Communities has put additional support in place to assist Post Office card account and HM Government Payment Exception Service customers who are unable to access their benefit or pension payments during the Coronavirus pandemic. 

  • Advice NI highlights importance of advice services as local government is about to undergo significant change. Ahead of changes to local government in Northern Ireland, Advice NI has called upon local Councils to ensure that the work of independent advice services is recognised and protected.Advice NI leads delivery of independent advice services across the current Castlereagh Borough Council area. The service involves face to face service provision by advisors locally deployed to service the Castlereagh outreach venues. Appeal tribunal representation services and dedicated money advice services are in place, a dedicated Freephone line has been established and an email advice facility is also in place.In April 2015, as part of the reform of local government in Northern Ireland the number of councils will be reduced from 26 to 11. There will be significant changes with the majority of households in Castlereagh merging with Lisburn City Council with 38% of the population of Castlereagh and 21% of Lisburn moving to the new Belfast City Council. The new Castlereagh and Lisburn Council area will have approximately 137,000 residents and approximately 56,000 households.Speaking about the service, Bob Stronge Advice NI Chief Executive said: “Independent advice services are much-needed and highly valued by people across Northern Ireland. Advice NI and member organisations have a proven track record in providing excellent advice services across the community and we acknowledge the support and commitment shown by Councils to advice services. We look forward to working with the new Councils post RPA to similarly ensure that independent advice remains a key community service moving forward.”