People living in Northern Ireland experience some of the highest poverty rates in Europe, a consumer report has revealed.
The new report, entitled 'The Price of Being Poor' and released on Thursday by Northern Ireland’s Consumer Council, shows that those who earn the least are paying more for everyday goods.
It reveals that fuel poverty is one of the biggest problems facing households, with Northern Ireland having one of the highest rates in Western Europe.
The new report estimates that the number of households living in poverty has peaked at 300,000 in recent years.
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The research document offers a series of recommendations for tackling spiraling costs affecting people living on the bread line.
"It is scandalous that those least able to pay are receiving the worst deals,” Chief executive Antoinette McKeown said.
"The Price of Being Poor report emphasises the vicious cycle between poverty and debt. This needs to be addressed immediately - we all have a responsibility to make sure no extra disadvantage is placed on those already struggling."
Some of the main points include:
-An estimated 50% of households here suffer fuel poverty.
-Averages wages in Northern Ireland are £357.60. That's £39 less a week than UK average.
-The cost of filling a car with diesel and petrol jumped by around £200 between May 2010 & May 2011.
-72% of survey respondents on low incomes have no life insurance.
The full report is available here.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.joycean | Aug 01, 2011, 09:19 AM EDT
Why would they need life insurance? Life insurance is to see that income isn't lost if a breadwinner dies. I'm guessing there aren't a lot of breadwinners.
DaithiSuibhne | Jul 31, 2011, 09:33 PM EDT
seanomelbourne-I concur!
seanomelbourne | Jul 31, 2011, 06:47 PM EDT
Poverty the cost of British rule.
Aughavey | Jul 31, 2011, 06:07 PM EDT
cillowen - sorry but NI is actually the most giving place in the UK according to charity stats. Conservative Christians are also statistically significantly more likely to give more to charity than liberal leaning folk. rugbyplayer asks why? The answer is largely 30 years of IRA bombs targetting businesses, town centres and hotels with the aim of destabilising NI , also the decline of traditional industry - this has led to high numbers of government jobs. NI needs more private firms, less government ones. Orange Loyalist loons as you put it have little effect on the economy - dissident Republicans firebombing business premisies and setting of bombs in baks recently have much more of an effect on the economy (but not nearly as much as the IRA did before the GFA) but most of all it is the cost of fuel and housing which has gone up disproportionally compared to wages and effects the rest of the UK less as their wages were higher to begin with.
rugbyplayer | Jul 31, 2011, 01:18 PM EDT
Why? As an ousider, it is myopic to predict or analyze these causes. Sectarian fighting once lessening a few years ago but now rising again as Orange loyalist loonies more bent on religious bigotry than progress for the Province are on the warpath again? Maybe. A Province too long relying on the UK dole? Maybe. Not enough foreign investment? Maybe. Inability of the Province's politicians to agree or unite on anything? Maybe. Possibly an exaggerated "Price of Being Poor Report?" Maybe. Does the Red Hand of Ulster need to rise from its past and reshape its future? Definitely.
errigal | Jul 31, 2011, 11:26 AM EDT
LAST TIME I LOOKED NORTHERN IRELAND DOES NOT BELONG TO THE EU? CHECK IT OUT DARA KELLY.
citizen69 | Jul 31, 2011, 05:08 AM EDT
Once again its the poor that get hit hardest during recessions created by the rich. In Europe as in the USA the rich should be paying a lot more taxes than they are currently getting away with. The gap between rich & poor is getting wider by the year.
maloney | Jul 30, 2011, 03:08 PM EDT
LC and GD, the dildo brothers. Both winners of the stupidity contest.
GeorgeDillon | Jul 30, 2011, 01:02 PM EDT
I spent a day in the North just recently. No sign of poverty to me. The big difference between North and South is that in the North you don't get the feeling of being swamped by foreign migrants. There are some immigrants, but in moderate quantities. They don't overpower you like they do in downtown Dublin, which is now more like Delhi or Dar-Es-Salaam than Dublin. It's ironic, isn't it? Belfast is now a far more Irish city than Dublin!
LoyalCitizen | Jul 30, 2011, 12:43 PM EDT
With the amount of Southern Irish running up north to do their weekly shopping it would suggest the figures are wrong and its the Southern Irish in more poverty.