Latest Fact Checks
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Hate crime in NI: Did the number of racist crimes rise by almost 50% in a year?
13 November 2025
CLAIM: According to the latest figures, a total of 1,329 crimes with a race motivation were recorded in Northern Ireland in the past year. This represents an increase of 434 on the previous year’s total.
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ACCURATE
During a discussion about crimes with a racist motivation on the 29 October episode of BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster, presenter Sarah Brett claimed:
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Employment in NI: Does Northern Ireland have the largest disability employment gap in the UK?
7 November 2025
CLAIM: Northern Ireland has the largest gap between the disability employment rate and the employment rate for those without a disability of any region in the UK. According to the latest figures, 38.2% of people with a disability have a job, compared with 83.8% of people with no disability.
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ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
During an Assembly debate on 30 September about the skills gap between young people and businesses, Alliance Party MLA Michelle Guy claimed: “Northern Ireland continues
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The Troubles in NI: Did proportionally more loyalists than republicans go to prison?
3 November 2025
CLAIM: More loyalists than republicans went to prison during the conflict, “proportionally” speaking.
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UNSUBSTANTIATED
On an episode of BBC TV Show Nolan Live on 8 October, former DUP MP Ian Paisley Jr. said: “More loyalists have gone to jail
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Back to school in NI: Does an average secondary school uniform cost over £1,000?
23 October 2025
CLAIM: The average cost of a secondary school uniform in Northern Ireland is £1,094.
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INACCURATE
In an article in the Irish News published on 6 October, academic Dr Ciara Fitzpatrick and researcher Siobhán Harding wrote: “Parents with secondary school children
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Justice in NI: Did the recent drop in PSNI officer numbers occur entirely during Executive collapse?
17 October 2025
CLAIM: The “DUP’s collapse” of the Northern Ireland Executive caused the number of PSNI officers to drop by 800. The entire decline from 7,000 to 6,200 officers spanning the latest period of Executive dysfunction, whereas police numbers grew during Alliance Party leader Naomi Long’s tenure as Justice Minister.
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INACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
On 6 October on the social media site X (formerly Twitter), the Alliance Party posted the following: Figure 1 – source: Alliance Party social media
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Environment
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Lough Neagh crisis: Does most of the phosphorus in the lough come from agriculture?
16 October 2025
CLAIM: Over 60% of the phosphorus in Lough Neagh is a result of agriculture, while a third comes from the wastewater system and septic tanks.
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ACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
During an Assembly debate on Lough Neagh on 9 September 2025, SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone said: “The only way in which to address [the LoughBrowse by Topic
We have written 160 fact-check reports on public statements since 2016.