6th November 2002

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The first ever large-scale study of poverty and social exclusion in Northern Ireland is now under way.

The project is being carried out by a team of researchers from the University of Ulster, Queen’s University, Democratic Dialogue and the Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network.

The research team is led by Professor Paddy Hillyard of the University of Ulster and Professor Eithne McLaughlin and Mike Tomlinson of Queen’s and the research is designed to contribute to both the New Targeting Social Need and Section 75 equality strategies and objectives of the Northern Ireland Executive.

Its key objectives are:

• to provide a baseline, early 21st century measurement of poverty and social exclusion in Northern Ireland which can be updated periodically in the future;
  
• to provide data on the extent to which poverty and social exclusion impact across the nine dimensions of equality specified in Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998; and
  
• to provide data which allows Northern Ireland to be compared with the results of the British Poverty and Social Exclusion Survey (funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation) and poverty levels in the Republic of Ireland, as identified by the Living in Ireland surveys.

Professor Paddy Hillyard, from the University of Ulster, said: “The study’s main task is to produce a scientific measure of poverty. It is based on what people in Northern Ireland consider are ‘necessities’, i.e. those items and activities which everyone should be able to afford and not have to go without.

It will provide for the first time accurate details on the levels of both adult and childhood poverty in Northern Ireland and it will add immeasurably to our understanding of the relationship between poverty and social exclusion.”

Mike Tomlinson, fom Queen’s University, said: “It has always been assumed that Northern Ireland suffers from very high levels of poverty but up to now it has not been possible to make proper comparisons with other places.

“Our research is producing the evidence which will allow comparisons with European figures, the ‘consistent poverty’ level used in the Republic of Ireland and recent measurements of poverty in Britain. We will also be able to show how poverty varies across different social groups.”

The study involves two stages.

The first stage, for which people were surveyed over the summer, asked a random sample of people what they believe to be the basic necessities of life at the start of the 21st century. They were asked this in relation to both adults and children.

Everyone was presented with a list of nearly 100 items and activities, drawn up using experience of poverty studies in Britain and Europe and designed to include many items which people will not regard as necessities. The list included a warm, waterproof coat, visiting friends or family in hospital, medicines prescribed by a doctor, a dishwasher, internet access at home, a dictionary and access to a decent pension.

Respondents were asked whether they considered these items to be necessities or not. A necessary item was defined as something everybody should be able to afford and should not have to do without.

The second stage of the study involves a large survey which is being carried out between now and Christmas. A random sample of 3,500 households are being asked a range of questions about their incomes, household possessions and lifestyles. In particular, they will be asked if they can afford the items identified in the first survey. The information will be used to determine the numbers of people living in poverty in Northern Ireland and to compare Northern Ireland’s poverty levels with those in Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

Another aspect of the research is to find out whether the necessities list is seen differently by ethnic minority groups and by children. This will be done through focus groups of single language, single sex groups (mainly Urdu and Mandarin speakers) and a group drawn from the Travellers' community.

The results of the survey will be detailed in a series of publications during 2003.

For further information, please contact:

Press Office Department of Communication and Development
Telephone: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk