A paper presented findings on the impact of the recession, cost of living increases, and changes to the social security system on people's financial situation, their family life, and their physical and mental health in Northern Ireland, drawn from the Communities in Action (CiA) Programme, a community-led research project with eight working class communities across the country. Key findings included: that people were using debt to pay for basic needs, trapping them in a cycle of debt; that few people were able to save; that money worries and fears over changes to social security provision were affecting people's physical and mental health, which placed pressure on family life and on relationships; and that there was a need for more locally based emotional and practical support for the people affected.
Source: Gabi Kent, Hard Times 2: Feeling the strain, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Jun
A paper presented findings on the impact of the cost of living on families in Northern Ireland, drawn from the Communities in Action (CiA) Programme, a community-led research project with eight working class communities across the country. Key findings included: that increases in the cost of living made even essential items unaffordable for some people; that fuel and heating costs were of greatest concern in all participating communities; that changes to the social security system were beginning to make an impact on some of the most vulnerable participants; that people were struggling to meet their housing costs, whether for rent or mortgage payments, with some having lost their homes and others under threat; and that many people felt they were losing any security they had built up in recent years.
Source: Gabi Kent, Hard Times 1: The high cost of living, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Jun
A paper presented findings on the impact of the recession, cost of living increases, and changes to the social security system on young people in Northern Ireland, drawn from the Communities in Action (CiA) Programme, a community-led research project with eight working class communities across the country. Key findings included: that the education maintenance allowance was considered a vital resource for young people from low-income families; that many families were unable to afford computers and internet access at home; that many now felt that a university education was out of reach; that young people felt trapped in a cycle of part-time low paid jobs, and found few opportunities for full-time work or a career; and that young people had aspirations and acted on them, but needed more support to achieve their ambitions.
Source: Gabi Kent, Hard Times 3: Youth perspectives, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Jun
A report updated previous projections of child and working-age poverty in Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom from 2012-13 to 2017-18, and in 2020-21. It said that in the United Kingdom there would be an overall increase over the decade in the number of children in poverty of up to 1.4 million, depending on which measure was used.
Source: James Browne, Andrew Hood, and Robert Joyce, Child and Working-Age Poverty in Northern Ireland Over the Next Decade: An update, Institute for Fiscal Studies
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Jan
A report provided the initial findings from a research project that examined the resilience of households in Northern Ireland. Drawing on baseline survey data and qualitative interviews with households across four neighbourhoods, it outlined a range of challenges and the strategies used by households to 'get by'. The report said that, for these households, resilience was not about 'bouncing back', 'flourishing', or 'thriving' in the face of adversity, but was about not being overcome, 'getting-by', enduring, surviving, just 'getting on with things', and 'keeping their heads above the water'. The report noted the susceptibility of households to future stressors, such as welfare reform, especially those on means-tested benefits or with long-term illness or disability. Place, and relationships with family and friends, appeared to be important for resilience and future work would investigate this further. The report highlighted issues around the measurement of resilience and noted the importance of qualitative work.
Source: Paul Hickman, Elaine Batty, Chris Dayson, and Jenny Muir, Getting-by, Coping and Resilience in Difficult Times: Initial findings, Centre for Regional, Economic and Social Research (Sheffield Hallam University)
Date: 2014-Jan