Latest Fact Checks

Articles

|

Economy

|

Health

|

Topics

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.

Rating

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

Articles

|

Law

|

Peace

|

Topics

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.

Rating

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

Articles

|

Economy

|

Education

|

Topics

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.

Rating

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

Articles

|

Law

|

Peace

|

Topics

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.

Rating

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

Articles

|

Environment

|

Health

|

Topics

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.

Rating

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 Lough

Articles

|

Health

|

Peace

|

Topics

Suicide in NI: Does Northern Ireland have a deepening suicide crisis?

10 October 2025

CLAIM: Northern Ireland has a suicide crisis that is getting worse. In 2023, 221 people died by suicide, which is an 8% increase on the previous year.

Rating

INACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION

[If you, or anyone you know, may be at risk of harm there are people you can talk to. Help is available. In Northern Ireland