Omagh charity reports a massive surge in calls

A NEW report released by St Vincent de Paul (SVP) has revealed that the charity is experiencing a surge in calls across the North due to the current ‘cost-of-living’ crisis.

Launched yesterday (Wednesday), ‘Beyond Breaking Point’ brings to life the devastating impact of the current financial climate on struggling local families, with SVP’s Omagh chapter receiving more calls than ever before.

“I have been involved with SVP for a very long time and the need right now has never been greater,” said Mairéad Taggart, president of the SVP Omagh chapter.

“People are really struggling right now and they are at breaking point,” she continued.

Among those SVP members surveyed in the report, 77 per-cent said the rising cost of energy was the main reason people were seeking help from the charity, while the second most common request is for food.

Other major concerns were the increasing poverty within working households, particularly affecting individuals engaged in zero-hour contracts, receiving low pay, and dealing with childcare costs.

Even travel costs for those who do work were cited as a major concern.

Consequently, there has been a substantial surge in calls to the charity, reaching 25,057 by the end of October 2023 alone, almost double what they were before the pandemic.

The report is a first-of-its-kind, collating the experiences and perspectives of SVP members on poverty, offering a poignant narrative of the harsh realities faced by not just those on low income but those who are working too.

Mary Waide, SVP Regional President for the Northern Region, said, “Feedback from SVP members who are at the coalface of the cost of living crisis shows the depth and breadth of financial difficulties currently being experienced by far too many households. While we welcome the fall in inflation, the reality is that even with this drop, many families remain worse off than last year when every household received the one-off energy payment.”

The Regional President expressed deep concern about the overwhelming despair among households, emphasising the urgent need for government intervention.

She stressed the critical role of charities, stating, “Charities like SVP should be complementing government assistance, not being the first port of call for those living in poverty.”

Members articulated a clear need for improvements to the benefit system, underscoring the urgency for a functioning Executive and the implementation of an Anti-Poverty Strategy.

The report concludes with an urgent plea for political leadership to safeguard those facing challenges on multiple fronts, calling for immediate government intervention to prevent further hardship.

It reads, “There is an urgent need for political leadership to protect people in poverty as they face challenges on many fronts: a functioning Executive is essential to prevent further hardship. The need for an Anti-Poverty Strategy has never been more profound.”

The report urges all relevant government departments to ensure a strategy is ready for immediate implementation under Section 28a of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

SVP and its members are calling for an overhaul of the benefits system, appropriate wages, removal of the Universal Credit wait, affordable childcare, funding for mental health services, and adequate support for refugees and asylum seekers, as well as a new strategy for affordable housing.

It is also asking leaders here to ‘poverty-proof’ the school day.

Meanwhile, SVP volunteers in the Northern Region have been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE. SVP is an international charity and the largest voluntary charity in Ireland.

SVP is committed to promoting self-sufficiency and working diligently for social justice.

If you require assistance from SVP, please email info@svpni.co.uk and for further information about the charity or to become a member, please visit: svp.ie.