As a new CAP YouGov poll reveals a majority in Northern Ireland here think that tackling poverty should be a priority, an Enniskillen church is part of a new campaign to end UK poverty.

Christians Against Poverty’s (CAP) latest YouGov polling (carried out across the UK) shows that two-thirds of the Northern Ireland adult population see an increase in poverty, and around 90 per cent think it’s important that more is done to tackle it.

About a quarter of people surveyed in Northern Ireland (23 per cent) have had to use savings to make ends meet due to rising prices, while 15 per cent have had to use credit or have borrowed from family or friends to make ends meet.

Half of Northern Irish adults (48 per cent) would say they have lost sleep worrying about their finances.

Enniskillen Presbyterian is one of the churches working in partnership with CAP helping hundreds of people here to break free from poverty.

“Poverty is on the rise. We need to face it together in Enniskillen,” said CAP’s Enniskillen Debt Centre Manager, Jonathan Hayward.

“At Enniskillen Presbyterian, we partner with Christians Against Poverty so we can offer free debt help and a CAP money budgeting course, and practical support for local people so they can have an opportunity to break free from poverty.

“CAP’s latest YouGov poll shows poverty is on the rise in local communities across Northern Ireland and I’m certainly seeing people suffering here in Enniskillen, due to rising costs and low incomes.

“More than four in ten adults in NI – 42 per cent – in this survey say they have gone without heat at some point this winter and others have skipped meals. It’s likely to get worse unless we all play our part.”

It is for this reason that CAP are launching a new campaign asking people to join the fight against poverty’s stranglehold on local communities.

“It’s vital that people have access to free debt help and budgeting advice right now, to give them an opportunity to break free from the chains of poverty,” continued Jonathan.

“At CAP we are already working – alongside a host of other organisations – to tackle poverty by raising awareness of the scale of the problem and its impact on our local communities and providing practical help and support.

“To tackle poverty head-on in 2023, we need everyone right across our community, both locally here in Enniskillen and right across Northern Ireland, to unite behind the aim of ending poverty here.

“We want to play our part in this and you can do the same.”