NI Audit Office report finds benefit claimants here have not yet felt the full impact of welfare reforms

Jan 17, 2019, 11:21 AM

More low income families in Northern Ireland could be driven to foodbanks when the full impact of welfare reforms kick in here. The Audit Office says benefit claimants here have been protected from severe hardship because of a special fund worth half a billion pounds put in place by Stormont to cushion the effects of cuts. But it's due to run out in a year's time - and there are no plans to replace it. Why not? Because there's no Executive to take action on it. BBC NI political correspondent Enda McClafferty sets out the story, and Vinny gets reaction from SDLP MLA Nichola Mallon, Sinn Fein MLA Alex Maskey and businessman and Conservative Party member Frank Shivers.