Categories
Business Campaigns Community Cost of Living Government Politics Stormont

Minister Archibald Responds to Rising Price of Home Heating Oil and Fuel

Minister Archibald has commented on the rising price of home heating oil and fuel emerging as a result of the situation in the Middle East. Minister Archibald spoke with both the British Energy Minister, Michael Shanks, and the Irish Energy Minister, Darragh O’Brien. Following those discussions, Minister Archibald said she had a constructive engagement with […]

Categories
Campaigns Community Cost of Living Government International Politics Stormont

Middle East Tensions Drive Sharp Rise In Home Heating Oil Costs

Ulster Unionist Economy spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA has warned that rising global instability is now directly impacting households across Northern Ireland, with home heating oil prices climbing sharply. Diana Armstrong MLA said: “The escalating conflict in the middle east is once again demonstrating how events thousands of miles away can have direct and immediate consequences […]

Categories
Campaigns Community Cost of Living Housing

Housing Executive Announces Rent Increase

The Housing Executive has announced its annual rent increase. From 6th April, 2026, rents will increase by 4.8% – this equates to an increase of £3.94 on the average weekly rent, which is currently £82.04, excluding rates. All tenants will be contacted over the next few weeks to advise of their new rent charges and what […]

Categories
Business Campaigns Community Constituency Cost of Living Newry Newry and Armagh

Hundreds Supported Across Newry as Norbrook Delivers We Care Community Programme

Norbrook has once again demonstrated its strong commitment to the local community through its We Care at Christmas programme, with more than 325 employees across the business giving their time, skills and generosity to support charities, families and vulnerable groups across Newry and the surrounding area. Norbrook’s We Care program started in 2019 as an […]

Categories
Business Campaigns Community Cost of Living

Budget Energy Tariff to Increase By 4%

Budget Energy is set to increase its electricity tariff by 4% from 15 January 2026. A typical Budget Energy credit customer will see their annual electricity bill rise by around £47 per year and a typical prepayment customer will see their top-up costs rise by around £46 per year. Raymond Gormley, Head of Energy at […]

Categories
Business Campaigns Community Constituency Cost of Living Government Infrastructure Newry Newry and Armagh Stormont

Newry: Temporary “Grace Period” For Festive Parking

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has delivered a festive boost to Lisburn and Newry by introducing an hour’s grace period for people parking in the on-street parking spaces within the Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs). This means people will have up to one hour to return to their cars following the expiry of their paid parking event […]

Categories
Armagh Campaigns Community Constituency Cost of Living Government Newry Newry and Armagh Politics South Armagh Westminster

Child Benefit U-Turn Welcome, But More Needed – Dáire Hughes MP

Sinn Féin MP for Newry and Armagh, Dáire Hughes, has welcomed HMRC’s U-turn in the issuing of letters suspending Child Benefit payments to families that have done nothing wrong.  Dáire Hughes MP said; “We welcome HMRC’s change of approach, recognising the staggering failure of their practices and their commitment to reinstate Child Benefit payments to […]

Categories
Campaigns Community Constituency Cost of Living Government Newry Newry and Armagh Politics Westminster

Grant: Chancellors Statement a waste of Time

Ms. Grant commented after the Chancellor’s early morning press conference this week said, “What a waste of time as it turned out to be uneventful, with heavy emphasis on business, defense, and the national debt. These are all the reasons traditionally given when the working class is about to be shafted. Ms. Grant continued it […]

Categories
Campaigns Community Constituency Cost of Living Newry Newry and Armagh

Grant Slams Rising Food Costs

Nicola Grant Workers Party representative has hit out at the massive rise in food inflation over the past five years. The cost-of-living crisis has left millions of workers and their families struggling to put food on the table, food inflation having risen by 38% over five years, leaving working-class people unable to provide even the […]

Categories
Campaigns Community Cost of Living Government Politics Stormont

Minister Announces £12.4m Jobs Programme For Benefit Claimants

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has announced a new £12.4 million employment drive to support working age benefit claimants into work. JobStart will seek to build new connections between employers and workers, creating work opportunities while tackling economic inactivity, right across Northern Ireland. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said: “JobStart is the biggest jobs programme of its kind, […]

Categories
Campaigns Community Consumer Council NI Cost of Living

SSE Airtricity Standard Variable Tariff to Increase by 4%

Northern Ireland’s second biggest energy supplier, SSE Airtricity, is set to increase its standard variable electricity tariff by 4% from 1 November 2025. A typical SSE Airtricity credit customer on a standard variable tariff will see their bill rise by around £45 per year. Raymond Gormley, Head of Energy at the Consumer Council said: “From […]

Categories
Campaigns Community Cost of Living Lifestyle

Cheapest Spots to Fill Up Revealed – Where does your town rank?

By Compare NI Parents tackling the dreaded school runs are being shown the most pocket-friendly places to fill up their cars across Northern Ireland to help make savings on their fuel bills. Back-to-school season is a challenging time financially for many families, with new figures showing that a third of NI parents are being forced […]