According to the report, 330,000 people in Northern Ireland (17% of our population) are currently living in poverty. Of these, around 200,000 people (61%) are in deep poverty, with incomes so low that even the bare necessities are often out of reach.
However, most worrying is the current situation facing our children.
- One in four children (24%) live in poverty.
- Children in lone-parent families, families with three or more children, or households with a disabled family member face significantly higher risks.
These figures represent children whose futures are being shaped by insecurity, stress and disadvantage. Poverty is not simply an economic statistic; it is a breach of the right to a decent standard of living.
Recently, the UK Government published their UK wide Child Poverty Strategy and announced their commitment to remove the two-child limit in full from April 2026. These are important and welcome developments, which will have a significant impact upon rising child poverty levels across the UK.
We welcome this commitment and thank our local representatives for their support in removing the two-child limit. However, it is clear that further action to eliminate child poverty can and must be taken by the NI Executive. Our comments on this can be read here.
One of the report’s most significant findings is the scale of in-work poverty.
- 64% of children in poverty live in households where someone works.
- 60% of working-age adults in poverty are themselves in employment.
This reflects what Law Centre NI hears from workers trapped in low-paid, insecure and part-time jobs, often without guaranteed hours. Work should provide a route out of poverty; not a struggle to survive.
We cannot continue to tell families to “work their way out” of poverty if the labour market itself is failing to deliver basic economic security.
Our Employment Legal Officer, Lisa McDowell, who was invited to join the panel during the launch of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report, “Poverty in Northern Ireland 2025” which took place on the 4th December 2025. shared her thoughts:
“This report is greatly welcomed by the employment rights unit at LCNI as it shines a light on many of the key issues that we see regularly in our day-to-day work. Being asked to sit as a panel member at this event provided an invaluable opportunity to highlight some of the key difficulties facing those in work who also face financial hardship. As the report states, “most people in poverty are in working families,” which begs the question, “why is work not working?”
Building on these concerns, Lisa also highlighted the specific employment practices that repeatedly emerge in LCNI’s casework and continue to trap working people in poverty.
“Low pay, inadequate terms and conditions of employment, failure to provide flexibility and a lack of clarity around employment status are amongst the most common issues facing our clients and which are contributing to this situation of in- work poverty. More stringent restrictions upon the use of zero hours contracts, affording employees the right to request flexible working from day one and a move towards a two- tier classification in respect of employment status are just some of the steps which LCNI feels should be taken to tackle this current position.”
The report does not just diagnose the problem, but rather, it points towards obtainable solutions.
One of the most compelling recommendations is the introduction of a targeted child payment (which is currently, successfully, in practice in other parts of the UK) through Northern Ireland’s social security system. JRF’s modelling shows this could:
- Reduce child poverty to around 20%, and
- Provide up to £2,800 per year for low-income families.
Long-term change will also require:
- Fair work that offers security and decent pay
- Affordable, accessible childcare
- A rights-based approach to housing
- A social security system designed to prevent, not perpetuate, poverty
Northern Ireland has the legislative powers to pursue transformative change. What we lack is a comprehensive anti-poverty strategy with clear targets, timelines and accountability.
Our response to the NI Executive’s draft Anti-Poverty Strategy, highlighted five key areas which must be prioritised to effectively address poverty.
- The Advice Sector: Must receive sufficient investment to provide specialist, independent, accurate, and timely support across NI;
- Welfare Mitigations and Discretionary Support: The safety net below the safety net must be adequately resourced and extended indefinitely to support those living in poverty;
- Child Poverty: Children must be protected and able to grow up in a society where poverty and its harmful impacts are alleviated;
- Migrants and Poverty: The Executive must commit strategically to reducing poverty and its impacts for migrants across NI;
- Employment: There must be high-quality, suitable, and accessible job opportunities, with specific measures to protect individual rights.
