One in five people living in poverty
One in five people in Northern Ireland is living in poverty, a development charity said.
The economy has fallen behind the rest of the UK, with significantly lower employment and pay levels hindering attempts to help the most needy, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF).
It said 360,000 were below the breadline.
Helen Barnard, head of analysis at JRF, said: “Poverty is a problem that can be solved, but the foundations to reduce poverty in Northern Ireland - more jobs and good levels of pay - appear to be much weaker in comparison to the rest of the UK.”