Niacro Responds to NI Executive’s Draft Anti-Poverty Strategy

At Niacro, we know that poverty and justice system involvement are deeply intertwined - and that breaking this cycle demands bold, targeted action. In our official response to the Northern Ireland Executive’s draft Anti-Poverty Strategy, we draw on decades of frontline experience and the voices of those most affected: justice-involved individuals, families navigating the hidden costs of imprisonment, and communities living with entrenched disadvantage.

Our message is clear: poverty is a driver of crime, and justice reform must be central to any serious anti-poverty effort.

What We’re Calling For:

• Clear, measurable targets - because what gets measured gets done.
• Ring-fenced funding and cross-departmental accountability - to ensure poverty is tackled together.
• Lived-experience co-governance - including justice-affected families in design, delivery, and oversight.
• Justice-specific interventions - from bail reform to financial inclusion hubs and living-wage pathways.

The Reality We See Every Day:

• Families spend up to 40% of their income maintaining contact with loved ones in prison.
• 81% of women who offend were unemployed pre-custody.
• 74% of people in prison left school at 16 or younger.
• 60% of justice-affected families report mental health declines due to financial stress.

These are not just statistics - they’re stories of resilience, trauma, and hope. Our services, like SkillSET and FAMM, support thousands each year to rebuild lives, secure employment, and stay connected. But systemic change requires more than support - it requires strategy.

Why This Strategy Matters

The draft vision - “Working together, poverty and its impacts will be effectively and sustainably eradicated” - is a start. But without time-bound actions, transparent reporting, and inclusion of justice-impacted families, it risks falling short.

We urge the Executive to embed trauma-informed, co-designed solutions that reflect the lived realities of those most at risk. Poverty is not inevitable. With the right tools, it can be eradicated.

Niacro stands ready to partner with government, agencies, and communities to make this Strategy a blueprint for real change.

Read our full response and recommendations here

For more information, contact: pact@niacro.co.uk