Publications

Due to an inadequate budget allocation, creating a Departmental budget shortfall of £111.2m, the Department for Communities has, as part of a range of measures, scaled back funding for the Discretionary Support scheme which provides emergency grants and loans for people on a low income who are in an extreme, exceptional or crisis situation.

Advice NI notes with deep concern that the Department of Communities is faced with unprecedented funding challenges and cuts in 2023-24

Advice NI calls on the Department to ensure that the work and impact of the independent advice network is explicitly included within the DfC Equality Action Plan (in addition to the reference to the ‘Fundamental Refresh’).

Health assessments for benefits including Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance and Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.

This consultation focuses on the main benefits paid to disabled people and people with long-term health conditions of working age. 

This consultation response wishes to express in the strongest possible terms opposition to the proposed Department for Communities budget allocation which includes no allocation for the independent advice sector to support welfare change.

This consultation response wishes to express in the strongest possible terms opposition to the proposed Department for Communities budget allocation which includes no allocation for the independent advice sector to support welfare change.

Red our response to the Programme for Government across 9 key areas.

The Advice NI policy team responded to the Department for the Economy’s consultation on their Energy Strategy.