Fuel, food and child poverty soar in Fermanagh and Omagh, Assembly committee told

FERMANAGH and Omagh District Council has warned that poverty in the district remains significantly higher than the Northern Ireland average, as it urged greater recognition of rural challenges during a presentation to the Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Communities on the development of the Executive’s draft Anti-Poverty Strategy.

Council representatives appeared before the committee last Thursday to outline the extent of poverty locally, the work already being carried out across the district, and the council’s views on how a regional strategy should be strengthened.

In its briefing, the council highlighted that an estimated 22% of individuals in Fermanagh and Omagh live in relative poverty, both before and after housing costs, compared with a Northern Ireland average of 17%.

The figures place the district second highest across all council areas before housing costs and third highest after housing costs.

Child poverty is estimated to be between 28% and 29%, while poverty among pension-age adults stands at around 24% before housing costs and 16% after housing costs.

Research also indicates that:

• The district has the highest at-risk rate of fuel poverty of all 11 councils in Northern Ireland.

• It has the third highest risk score for food poverty.

• More than one in three homes are more than a 10-minute walk from a bus stop, highlighting transport challenges.

Council officials told the committee that rural isolation, limited transport links and fewer employment opportunities exacerbate poverty in the area.

They also noted the changing profile of people seeking help, with foodbank referrals continuing to rise and more working families now requiring support.

Advice services are reporting record levels of debt enquiries, particularly relating to rent, mortgage and rates arrears, with many households unable to meet their basic living costs and almost all clients presenting without savings.

In response to these challenges, the council launched its own anti-poverty strategy in December 2024 titled “Pathways out of Poverty.”

The initiative was developed in partnership with statutory bodies and community and voluntary organisations and aims to address poverty through three key themes:

• Mitigating the effects of poverty by improving access to advice, support and targeted assistance for those struggling.

• Preventing and reducing poverty through early intervention, improving financial resilience and helping households maximise income.

• Improving the design and delivery of services so communities experiencing poverty are involved in decision-making and stigma is reduced.

Council representatives acknowledged that many of the structural causes of poverty - including the social security system, rising housing costs and childcare provision - lie beyond the control of local authorities. However, they emphasised the importance of local partnerships in delivering practical support.

During the presentation, the council argued that local government should play a greater role in shaping and implementing the Executive’s draft Anti-Poverty Strategy.

Officials said councils were not involved early enough in the development process, despite their close working relationships with community organisations and residents experiencing poverty.

While welcoming recent engagement with the Department for Communities, the council said the draft strategy does not sufficiently address rural poverty or regional imbalance.

It called for “place-based interventions and rural-proofed policies”, arguing that councils are best placed to understand the specific drivers of poverty within their areas.

The council also highlighted the impact of locally delivered programmes funded through government support.

In 2023-24, hardship funding from the Department for Communities, combined with council contributions, enabled assistance for hundreds of households including:

• Fuel support for 734 households, benefiting more than 2,000 adults and children.

• Food support delivered through 84 schools, reaching over 20,000 pupils.

• Emergency food aid for 139 households and the distribution of more than 1,600 food parcels through foodbanks.

The council said it has committed more than £370,000 this year in cost-of-living support, delivered through community and voluntary sector partners, but warned that local authorities cannot sustain this level of funding indefinitely.

One key initiative highlighted was the Fermanagh and Omagh Poverty Support Programme, funded partly through Social Supermarket funding and public health support.

The programme works directly with households in their homes to identify the causes of poverty and create personalised support plans covering areas such as employment, benefits, debt, housing and mental health.

In 2024-25, the programme supported over 200 households - including 365 children - delivering nearly 1,800 interventions. The council has expanded the scheme this year to support 300 households.

Councillors have unanimously identified tackling poverty as a priority for the district and have appointed a dedicated anti-poverty officer.

In its conclusion to the committee, the council said it would welcome greater involvement in the redevelopment and implementation of Northern Ireland’s Anti-Poverty Strategy, stressing that local authorities and community partners are well positioned to deliver both immediate assistance and long-term solutions for residents most in need.