iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sheena McMullen @sheenamcmullen.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Please share with anyone who'd be interested in this work: rss.org.uk/news-publica...

rss.org.uk

RSS launch new research into data gaps in Northern Ireland

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Sheena McMullen @sheenamcmullen.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

📢ICYMI: Last week, JRF launched the Disability and Poverty in NI report. This work was supported by an amazing Research Advisory Group & key organisations involved in providing support services in NI. You can hear some of their thoughts below & find the full report in this 🧵

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

🚨 New report out today! Disabled people in Northern Ireland are almost 2x as likely to live in poverty as non-disabled people, in some of the first research of it's kind in NI. Hear @sheenamcmullen.bsky.social and Christine Ellison set out their findings and what can be done 👇

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Sheena McMullen @sheenamcmullen.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

in 4 people in Northern Ireland live with a disability or limiting long-term health condition but they often experience significantly higher levels of poverty, material deprivation and financial insecurity than non-disabled people. Want to find out more? Webinar link below 🔽

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

📊 A big change to the way official poverty statistics are constructed comes into effect this year. Family Resources Survey responses and official government benefit records will now be linked for the first time. 📝 In this short explainer video, we take you through what the changes mean.

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Peter Matejic @statspeter.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

On 26th March, new poverty stats are out. They'll look different though, with one of the biggest ever changes in methodology. Read why this is short-term pain for long-term gain, and why the changes are a bit like this Formula 1 season: linkedin.com/pulse/next-g...

linkedin.com

Next generation poverty statistics

On the 26 March, we will see new, improved poverty statistics in Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)’s Households Below Average Income Statistics. Here's what you need to know.

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Sheena McMullen @sheenamcmullen.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

Remember when food banks weren't normal? JRF & Trussell NI wanted to find out how the public reacted to the reality in one year over 500,000 people across Northern Ireland, including 130,000 children, lived in a food insecure household & what they thought the @northernireland.gov.uk should do

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Sheena McMullen @sheenamcmullen.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

We asked the public if they think politicians in NI are doing enough to tackle the rising cost of living. Their reactions were clear & honest. People are struggling & want leaders to act. Today @jrf_uk presents our Poverty in NI 2025 findings to Communities Committee for the @northernireland.gov.uk

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Sheena McMullen @sheenamcmullen.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

Tomorrow JRF presents Poverty in NI 2025 research to the Committee for Communities. Before that, we went out w/ Trussell NI to hear some public reaction to our findings. The responses were powerful & demonstrate the urgency that @northernireland.gov.uk need to place on this. Watch the 1st video 🔽

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

Poverty is deepening. 🔎 Our #UKPoverty2026 report was launched this morning. People in very deep poverty now make up the biggest group of people in poverty, at 6.8 million people. This is unacceptable for the fifth richest country in the world, and it has consequences.

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

❓ What can we expect from the economic situation in the UK in 2026? It's a mixed picture, as @chrisbelfield.bsky.social explains, with some relief for low-income households. Hear his predictions for the year ahead below 🔽 www.youtube.com/shorts/g8Twm...

youtube.com

What can we expect from the economic situation in the UK in 2026?

YouTube video by Joseph Rowntree Foundation

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Sheena McMullen @sheenamcmullen.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

🔎Our Poverty in Northern Ireland (2025) report highlighted two consistent challenges emerge in the local labour market: pay and hours. Almost half (45%) of all workers here have experienced low pay in one of the last 5 years.

Image shows JRF branding and small girl crouched down, playing. The text reads: 6 in 10 children in poverty in Northern Ireland live in households where at least one adult is in work.

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

Many of us think that getting and keeping paid work protects us from poverty. But our report today challenges that view. 🔎 The reality for people in Northern Ireland is that too many are held back by low pay and significant barriers to work that keep them trapped in hardship.

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

Children are bearing the brunt of poverty in Northern Ireland. Too many families face unthinkable choices between feeding their children or keeping their homes warm. 18 months out from the next Assembly election, our Poverty in NI report looks at the action that's needed 🔽

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Sheena McMullen @sheenamcmullen.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

🏘️ Our Poverty in Northern Ireland report shows housing costs, once a relatively modest pressure compared with other parts of the UK, have become a central risk factor of poverty. Despite ambitious targets, social housing completions have fallen far short of what’s needed.

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Sheena McMullen @sheenamcmullen.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

Just a reminder you can still register to join our webinar tomorrow here taking a fresh look at the realities of poverty here & the challenge the NI Executive need to address- events.zoom.us/ev/AhMa6dD3t...

Poverty in Northern Ireland 2025, Thursday 4th December, 10.30am-12pm on zoom.

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Sheena McMullen @sheenamcmullen.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

Welcome to join us this Thursday 4th December online or in person @NICVA for our launch of Poverty in NI 2025. You can register here or share with others who might be interested! - tiny.cc/k7uv001

tiny.cc

Poverty in Northern Ireland Launch Webinar

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Katie Schmuecker @katieschmuecker.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

📣New @jrf-uk.bsky.social analysis Scrapping the 2 child limit alone has reversed the projected decline in living standards by *more than half* for the bottom third of households 1/2

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Iain Porter @iainkporter.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

These are big changes from Govt to protect existing disabled claimants from cuts - Govt has been listening. But new claimants from April 2026 still face deep hardship from cuts, which should be opposed. Over 400,000 new PIP & 700,000 new UC-health claimants will be £'000s worse off in 2029 1/2

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Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

The OBR has not yet been able to forecast any employment gain from the cuts/changes to incapacity & disability benefits MPs are being asked to support around £6.5bn of cuts & increased conditionality for ill & disabled people without any clear assessment of what it will achieve

Text from OBR document: Labour supply impact of Spring Statement welfare and employment support measures: We have not made a comprehensive assessment of the labour supply impacts of those elements of the Green Paper that we have incorporated into the fiscal forecast. The individual measures’ labour market impacts are complex to assess and would have interacting effects. The Government did not provide us with a comprehensive and robust analysis of these potential effects, and we were not, in the very limited time available, able to develop our own analysis of their net impact on labour supply. In addition, some of the wider Green Paper reforms set out above, which are not included in the fiscal forecast, could also have labour market implications. We will make a full assessment of the Green Paper policies’ effects ahead of our next forecast

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Chris Birt @cdbirt.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Confirmation of chunky cuts to SG and NI Executive budgets because of PIP cuts. Big choices for those Ministers as to whether to copy the cruel choices of UKG.

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

The Chancellor said today that she would not do anything to put household finances in danger Yet the government’s own assessment shows their cuts to health related benefits risk pushing 250,000 people into poverty, including 50,000 children 📢 Their assessment also found... 1/3

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Sheena McMullen @sheenamcmullen.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Approx 29,000 children experiencing poverty currently in NI are in households where either a parent or child have a disability, legitimately limiting work as a route out of poverty for their household. PIP = lifeline for many in times of high costs & limited support services

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Sheena McMullen @sheenamcmullen.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

Data from PHA showed that those with a disability consistently disadvantaged across all measures, for e.g. being able to engage w/indicators associated w/5 steps to wellbeing & more likely to have experienced mental ill-health.❌cuts to #DisabilityBenefits www.publichealth.hscni.net/news/mental-...

publichealth.hscni.net

Mental health survey 2023-24 findings | HSC Public Health Agency

A large-scale representative sample of the Northern Ireland general population completed the 2024/25 Mental Health Survey, providing important insights into their attitudes and behaviours relating to ...

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

This morning's Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures showed an unexpected slight fall in CPI inflation to 2.5%. This is welcome news for the government, but it also serves as a reminder of their recent commitment to raising real living standards for all. 🧵 (1/4)

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Claire Mitchell @clairemitchell.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Struggling with the decision not to allow Bangor Academy to go through an integration process. Integrated education here is conscious and intentional, in ethos, values and recruitment. When a school says ‘we wanna get better at this, would you help us’, I don’t think the right answer is no.

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FactCheckNI @factcheckni.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

📢 Our full statement on Meta’s decision to end support for US fact checkers on their fact checking programme is available here: factcheckni.org/articles/new...

FactCheckNI is disappointed to learn of Meta’s decision to end its partnership with fact checking organisations in the US.

FactCheckNI is particularly concerned with accusations
of bias and censorship against fact checkers. Like other organisations on the programme, we exist to improve
public debate and work under the fundamental principles
of impartiality, transparency and accuracy.

Equating facts with opinions undermines public confidence,
increases apathy, and reduces participation in democratic
processes. Neither misinformation or disinformation add
anything positive to public debates and discussions –
their effect is entirely corrosive.

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The Children's Society @childrenssociety.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, discussed in Parliament today, contains welcome child protection and safeguarding measures. We'll keep working to strengthen the Bill even further. Read the Children's Charities Coalition's statement: tinyurl.com/ycwbzwdm

"The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill is a major step forward for children, and we will be working with MPs across Parliament over the next few months to see where it can be strengthened even further." the Children's Charities Coalition. Logos of Action for Children, Barnardo's, NCB, NSPCC, and The Children's Society.

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

The worry about Meta's announcement isn't even that they are going to do all the things they've said; it's that other platforms - YouTube? TikTok? - could be emboldened to follow suit. The X weirdness happened in a Musk vacuum; with Zuckerberg now using similar language, the others may join.

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Jess Phillips @jessphillipsmp.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Just in from mammoth interview session to two bits of news. One that a DV perp got locked up because of something I did and that a vulnerable constituent had a a massive wrongful debt written off after our intervention. This is why I came to politics, this is why I'll just keep cracking on.

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Sheena McMullen @sheenamcmullen.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

Going to give this a go. Not a fan Elon.

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