The Women’s Support Network, established in 1989, is a feminist organisation, which provides support and services to women’s centres/groups.
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Joined February 2013
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On #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek the Women’s Regional Consortium launches research on Mental Health Matters for Women in NI showing the contributory factors, impacts & actions needed to address women’s poor mental health
Research📑: bit.ly/4d4KUVW
Key findings🧵⬇️
Women's Support Net retweeted
‣ The four nations discuss the UK autumn statement
Thursday 12 November, 12:30-2pm, online
eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-uk-au…
Women's Support Net retweeted
Judge Keown explains the Domestic Abuse Contest Court and how it has improved the experience of victims of domestic abuse. #JusticeIsChanging #DomesticAbuse
More here: justice-ni.gov.uk/topics/gil…
Women's Support Net retweeted
💼 Today's #Budget2026 paid a worrying lack of attention to the UK's food system, as prices continue to rise.
We believe removing tariffs on items such as gherkins and sweets falls short of the urgent need to make healthy & sustainable food accessible to everyone.
🔗 instagram.com/p/Dev-WQCTtS5/
Hearing from @SEAresource at @MoneyPensionsUK Financial Wellbeing Roundtable event about levels of economic abuse in NI - 1 in 6 women in NI experienced economic abuse in the last 12 months
Women's Support Net retweeted
🚨 NEW ANALYSIS!
Our latest modelling finds that without urgent action on the cost of living, this will still be the worst parliament on record for living standards.
Our analysis shows that households across the income spectrum will suffer the hit 👇
ALT Graph showing how under current projections this will be the worst parliament on record in the UK for living standards
Attending @MoneyPensionsUK Financial Wellbeing Strategy round table on the cross-cutting theme of Gender. Hearing MoneyView data on financial wellbeing for NI & stats on gender where women are more likely to have lower financial wellbeing than men
Women's Support Net retweeted
💼 'Breathing space' for today not enough
Our response to today's Budget 👇
Chancellor @JohnHealey_MP has announced measures that will help struggling families this winter - but we'll be right back here again next year without more fundamental reforms.
Women's Support Net retweeted
The best way to provide cost-of-living support to families is through investing in child-related benefits. Poverty rates are highest for households with children, and the social security system is an effective and tested mechanism for delivering support.
Women's Support Net retweeted
Last week, we published our latest report on Poverty in NI. Dr Christine Ellison, our Senior Data Analyst highlights some of the key concerns we have after looking closely at the evidence. We need @niexecutive action that matches the scale of the challenge
Women's Support Net retweeted
Michelle Porter from Victim Support NI talks about the importance of Remote Evidence Centres (RECs) for victims and witnesses of crime. #Justiceischanging
victimsupportni.com/help-for…
Women's Support Net retweeted
Announced today (27th Oct) by @energygovuk
Warm Homes Loan Scheme: Factsheet
- government-backed no- and low-interest loans
- to help households install clean energy technology and save money on bills
- available in NI
? Beyond the reach of low income households
#SECNI
ALT Warm Homes Loan Scheme: Factsheet How the government's Warm Homes Loan scheme can help households install clean energy technology and save money on bills.
ALT Who is eligible? These loans are available to households across the entire UK - in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Listen back to Lauren from Atlas Women's Centre talk about the impact of rising prices on her family's budget and what she thinks Government could do to help (from 2:13 mins) including increasing the value and eligibility for @NHSHealthyStart bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0033d…
Women's Support Net retweeted
Please do share this with any carers you know - media focusing on the other issues more. For carers on low incomes understand what's happening (and when) is important.
Women's Support Net retweeted
📢 Today the government:
✅️ Removed import tariffs on 100+products, including baked beans!
❌ Ignored calls by 100+ organisations to extend the Healthy Start scheme
750,000 families are still missing out: instagram.com/p/Dev-WQCTtS5/
Women's Support Net retweeted
NEWS! Carer's Allowance Cliff-Edge to end (my instant reaction).
It's one of a number of pre-budget announcements that have just come out.
Women's Support Net retweeted
NEWS. Pre-budget announcements just out.
1. Mileage rate for work the existing rise from 45p to 55p under 10,000 miles to be made permanent. Rate for 10,000+ to rise from 25p to 35p (im guessing from April, I need to confirm). So this means you get this amount tax free for work or self-employed.
2. Parental pay to be extended to self-employed dads and partners who have previously missed out
3. Ending the Carer’s Allowance cliff edge (video explaining in prior post)
Also announcements on food tariffs, Post office drop boxes and likely new Warm Home Loans scheme (more details to come on that tomorrow).
Women's Support Net retweeted
The report makes a clear call to action: the next Northern Ireland Executive must put child poverty at the heart of its next Programme for Government, backed by clear poverty reduction targets, a properly resourced long-term plan and coordinated action across government.
Women's Support Net retweeted
The other dimension to the change in Carer's Allowance which could help carers stay in work and earn more: many women have to cut hours and often give up work altogether to care. That has really serious consequences for their pension and risk of living in poverty in older age.
Looking forward to chatting about these on @LBC at 13.40. The one that really jumps out is Carers Allowance. Someone caring 35 hours a week can get £84/week. Right now they can work 16 hours @ NLW. If they work £17 hours they lose *the entire carers allowance*. Total madness. 1/4
Women's Support Net retweeted
Emily Holzhausen, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at @CarersUK, welcomes the Government’s plan to end the Carer’s Allowance earnings cliff edge. It’s a long-overdue change that could make a real difference to carers and the families who depend on them.
Under the current rules, earning even 1p over the £204 weekly limit can mean losing the entire £86.45 weekly allowance.
The Government plans to replace that cliff edge with a gradual taper, deducting £1 of allowance for every £1 earned above the limit. The reform is welcome, though it is not expected to be fully implemented until towards the end of the decade.
Around 180,000 carers reportedly built up £300 million in debts between 2019 and 2025 under the existing rules.
But, as Emily says, this is only the start.
The 2021 Census counted 5.8 million unpaid carers in the UK, including 1.7 million providing at least 50 hours of care every week.
Research by Carers UK and the Centre for Care estimates the value of that unpaid support at £184.3 billion a year.
That is an enormous contribution to families, communities and the economy.
Yet Carer’s Allowance is just £86.45 a week for someone providing at least 35 hours of care—about £2.47 for each minimum hour.
For comparison, the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.71 an hour - over 5x as much.
Carer's Allowance remains the lowest benefit of its kind.
Carers UK’s 2025 survey found that nearly half of carers had cut back on essentials such as food, heating or transport. - This is shameful for one of the richest countries in the world.
A full review of the allowance and wider support is essential.
And the need for change reaches beyond financial support for carers.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has set out plans for a National Care Service, including free personal care for older people based on need rather than ability to pay. Better, reliable social care could help people live with greater dignity and give families the support they need.
It could also ease pressure on the NHS, where gaps in care can contribute to avoidable A&E attendances and delays in patients leaving hospital.
For too long, families have been left to fill the gaps themselves.
Recognising carers, properly supporting them and building a care service people can rely on would be a major step towards a fairer and more compassionate society.
This, surely, is what it should mean to be British.