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Are UK child poverty rates over seven times higher than those in Scandinavia?
23 April 2024
CLAIM: Child poverty rates in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland are between 2.4% and 3.6% – while in the UK they are 28.3%.
Rating
INACCURATE
On 26 March in a post on social media, BBC NI journalist Mandy McAuley made a claim about recent child poverty figures in the UK
Articles
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Economy
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Health
Are unpaid carers worth hundreds of millions of pounds per year to Northern Ireland?
19 April 2024
CLAIM: Unpaid carers provide the equivalent of hundreds of millions of pounds of work every year, while the Department of Communities spends only 2% of its budget on Carer’s Allowance.
Rating
ACCURATE
On 28 February in a post on social media, Carers NI public affairs manager Craig Harrison claimed: “2%… That’s the amount of DfC’s budget spent
Articles
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Economy
Can Northern Ireland landlords get larger rates reductions than renters and owner-occupiers?
11 January 2024
CLAIM: Renters and owner-occupiers may have to pay their rates in full, while landlords can get a 10% allowance off their own rates bills. Since 1996, the private rental sector has grown significantly – from negligible size to around 13% of homes today, a similar proportion to the Housing Executive and all housing associations combined.
Rating
ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
On 25 October in an article for the Belfast Telegraph, journalist and policy expert Paul Gosling claimed that: “As landlords, we are given a discount
Articles
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Economy
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Peace
Did the Executive promise equal cash to rebuild Windsor Park, Casement Park and Ravenhill?
11 December 2023
CLAIM: The NI Executive’s commitment to provide financial support for new football, GAA and rugby stadiums involved an equal split between sports.
Rating
INACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
On 10 November in a post on social media, Loyalist campaigner Jamie Bryson claimed: “[The construction of the three stadiums – at Ravenhill, Windsor and
Articles
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Economy
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Topics
Have social housing waiting lists almost doubled in 20 years?
26 October 2023
CLAIM: Two decades ago, around 26,000 people were waiting for social housing. Now that figure is over 45,000.
Rating
ACCURATE
On 7 October, an article in the Belfast Telegraph claimed: “Two decades ago, 26,248 people were waiting for social housing. Now more than 45,000 are
Articles
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Economy
Has Northern Ireland been in fiscal deficit for most – or indeed all – of its existence?
20 September 2023
CLAIM: SDLP MLA Matthew O’Toole claimed that, since it came into being a century ago, Northern Ireland has been a net recipient of UK Government funding - either in most years, or in every single year.
Rating
ACCURATE/INACCURATE
During a speech at a New Ireland Commission event on August 23, SDLP MLA Matthew O’Toole said: “Northern Ireland has been in fiscal deficit for
Economy
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Europe
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Peace
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Topics
Is the EU contributing €1 billion to the PEACE PLUS fund for Northern Ireland?
13 September 2023
CLAIM: The Irish News claimed that the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar joined EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in Belfast to announce €1 billion of EU funding for Northern Ireland.
Rating
INACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
On September 11 2023 The Irish News tweeted: “Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has joined EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in Belfast to announce €1 billion of EU Articles
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Economy
Is arts funding per capita almost five times higher in Ireland than it is in Northern Ireland?
4 July 2023
CLAIM: Central arts funding per capita in Northern Ireland is £4.72 per year, compared with £22.50 per person, per year in Ireland.
Rating
ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
On 10 May, the Arts Council NI claimed on Twitter: “Our Director of Arts Development @Gcampbellini & Director of Strategic Development & Partnerships @karlygreene highlight Articles
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Economy
Are Treasury contributions to NI going down? Is local spending rising by only 3.6% while it rises by 6% in England?
1 June 2023
CLAIM: Treasury contributions to NI public services are going down. At the same time, by 2025 spending in England is set to rise by 6% while spending here will go up by 3.6%.
Rating
ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
DUP MPs Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and Gavin Robinson both recently claimed in press releases issued at the end of April that: “The Treasury contribution to
Articles
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Economy
Does NI have the lowest wages, slowest economy, lowest productivity and highest economic inactivity in the UK and Ireland?
23 May 2023
CLAIM: Northern Ireland has the lowest wages, lowest economic growth, lowest productivity, and highest economic inactivity in the UK and Ireland.
Rating
Mixed
In its manifesto published ahead of the 2023 local government elections, Sinn Fein claimed: “The north has the lowest wages, lowest economic growth, lowest productivity,
Articles
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Economy
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Elections
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Peace
Do divisions in society cost Northern Ireland between £400m and £830m every year?
16 May 2023
CLAIM: The cost of social division to the public purse in NI ranges between £400m and £830m every year.
Rating
ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
In its manifesto issued ahead of the 2023 local government elections, the Alliance Party claimed: “The current estimates of the cost of division range between Articles
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Economy
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Health
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Peace
Does Northern Ireland have the highest rate of child poverty in the UK?
2 May 2023
CLAIM: Northern Ireland has the highest levels of child poverty in the UK.
Rating
INACCURATE
On 3 April, in a column for the Irish Times, campaigner Emma de Souza claimed: “Northern Ireland has the highest levels of child poverty in