Stormont’s Anti-Poverty Strategy Criticized as Ineffective and Non-Compliant

Northern Ireland’s efforts to combat poverty have come under intense scrutiny, with both legal challenges and critical reports highlighting significant shortcomings in the Stormont Executive’s approach. Despite legal obligations dating back to the St Andrews Agreement of 2006, the Executive has failed to adopt a comprehensive anti-poverty strategy, leading to a High Court ruling in March 2025 that declared the government in breach of its duties.

The Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) initiated the legal proceedings, supported by organizations such as Unison, Barnardo’s NI, and the Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network. The CAJ argued that the Executive’s failure to implement an anti-poverty strategy was not merely a policy oversight but a violation of legal obligations. While the court acknowledged the breach, it did not find evidence of deliberate obstruction by individual ministers.

Further criticism has been directed at the Executive’s Child Poverty Strategy, which operated from 2016 to 2022. A report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) described the strategy as a “catalogue of failures,” citing a lack of clear targets, insufficient funding, and poor accountability mechanisms. The PAC noted that child poverty rates increased from 20% to 24% during the strategy’s implementation, indicating its ineffectiveness.

The Northern Ireland Audit Office’s review of the strategy found that key components were not well understood or implemented across departments. It also highlighted the absence of a dedicated budget and a focus on early intervention, both critical for addressing the root causes of poverty.

Advocacy groups have called for urgent action to develop and implement a new anti-poverty strategy that includes clear targets, adequate funding, and a commitment to early intervention. They emphasize that poverty is a multifaceted issue that requires a coordinated, cross-departmental approach to effectively address the needs of affected individuals and communities.

In summary, the Stormont Executive’s track record on poverty alleviation has been marked by legal non-compliance and ineffective strategies. The need for a robust, legally compliant, and well-funded anti-poverty strategy is more pressing than ever to ensure that the most vulnerable populations in Northern Ireland receive the support they need.