Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw has warned that suspension of Parliament must not put at risk the extension of welfare mitigations in Northern Ireland. The South Belfast MLA said: “The stress and anxiety being caused by the potential of the ‘cliff edge’ end to welfare mitigation payments in March is a burden no one should […]
Alliance MLAs have welcomed the handing over of a petition calling for easier access to benefits for people with terminal illnesses to the Prime Minister. The petition, which is a result of a campaign by the Marie Curie charity and has been signed by over 50,000 people, was handed over at 10 Downing Street today […]
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw has said there must be clarity that the outcome of a review into end-of-life benefits announced by the UK Government must apply to Northern Ireland. The South Belfast MLA stated: “Coping during the end-of-life period is difficult enough without the additional pressures of managing a reforming welfare system to access […]
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw has said there must be clarity that the outcome of a review into end-of-life benefits announced by the UK Government must apply to Northern Ireland. The South Belfast MLA stated: “Coping during the end-of-life period is difficult enough without the additional pressures of managing a reforming welfare system to access […]
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong has called on the Department for Communities Permanent Secretary to meet MLAs immediately over welfare reform mitigation measures, after she said she wouldn’t until after May’s Council election. Ms Armstrong was speaking after receiving a letter from Tracy Meharg, following her Department’s review of welfare mitigation funding. Mitigation measures are currently […]
Alliance MLA Trevor Lunn has welcomed news thousands of pensioners in receipt of Personal Independence Payments (PIP) will no longer have to undergo repeat assessments for the benefit. The Department for Communities said it would make the change this spring, to mirror existing legislation in the rest of the UK. It means up to 7,500 […]
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong has said welfare of people has been replaced by operational performance, following a meeting with the Department for Communities. The Strangford MLA was speaking after meeting with the Permanent Secretary and senior members of the Department for Communities about both PIP and Universal Credit. She said she was disappointed the Civil […]
Alliance Councillor Peter McReynolds has said time is running out for people affected by Personal Independence Payments (PIP), after he attended a meeting with the Permanent Secretary for the Department of Communities to raise his major concerns about the benefit. The meeting follows a motion Councillor McReynolds recently brought to Belfast City Council, aimed at […]
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong has said serious questions needs to be asked after a report warned the full impact of welfare reforms has yet to be felt here, with further hardships predicted by 2020. The report by the Comptroller and Auditor General said the end of mitigation measures, such as the so called ‘Bedroom Tax’, […]
Kellie Armstrong MLA has called on the Department for Communities to urgently consider the National Audit Office report regarding Motability Operations, after it emerged the company which supplies cars for people with mobility issues had been accused of over-charging its customers. Kellie – who is the Chair of the All Party Group on Disability – […]