Publications

Agenda and Minutes of the 17th Meeting of the Sport Matters Monitoring Group - held on 22 January 2019

Agenda and Minutes of the 18th Meeting of the Sport Matters Monitoring Group - held on 18 November 2020

This Guide explains the provisions of the Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2021 (the Act) and includes the commencement date for each provision. The Act made changes to the Licensing (Northern...

The Pensions Act 2004 established, on a UK-wide basis, the Pensions Regulator (the ‘Regulator’) to protect the benefits of members of work-based pensions, reduce the risk of situations arising which may result in calls on...

The policy is the new DfC Business Plan for the period October 2020 to March 2022. The Business Plan is the vehicle through which the Department’s Strategy will be delivered and monitored. The plan sets...

Gambling in Northern Ireland is regulated under the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (NI) Order 1985 (The 1985 Order). The 1985 Order regulates betting on tracks and in bookmaking offices; gaming including the use, supply...

Universal Credit is a new payment to help support households that are out of work or are on a low income. Universal Credit was introduced in Northern Ireland on a phased geographical basis from 27...

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a new benefit replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people aged between 16 to 64 years. PIP and DLA cannot be claimed at the same time. PSU have compiled statistics...

The Benefit Cap is a limit on the total amount of benefit that working-age people can receive. From 31 May 2016, the amount a household could receive in benefit income was limited to £26,000 per...

The Benefits Statistics Summary is released quarterly in the last week of February, May, August and November.

The overall aim of the Belfast Streets Ahead programme is to maximise the potential of the city centre’s public realm to position Belfast as a premier European regional capital and the primary retail and leisure...

The Conservation Principles guidance sets out a best practice conservation framework for all aspects of decision making affecting our historic environment.

As part of the Department’s work to implement Fresh Start policy the DfC Fresh Start team is working with Waterside Neighbourhood Partnership, to deliver a community based education and action citizen programme aimed at young...

This Department for Communities’ Business Plan 2020-22 has been approved by the Departmental Management Board. This Business Plan covers an 18 month period from October 2020 to March 2022. It sets out the steps that...

As part of the Department’s work to implement Fresh Start policy the DfC Fresh Start team is working with Shantallow Community Residents Association (SCRA), to deliver a programme which aims to reduce antisocial behaviour, violence...

The Scheme of Emergency Financial Assistance (SEFA) is designed to aid individual householders who have suffered severe inconvenience as a result of internal flooding to their properties. Householders who are deemed eligible under the criteria...

The households below average income report for Northern Ireland 2019-20 was released on 5 August 2021. This covers the period pre COVID-19. The proposed date of next publication will be Summer 2022.

The Department requests information from councils at the end of each Quarter on the processing of invoices as detailed in the circular LG 19/2016 Prompt Payment Guidance. LGHR publish comparative analysis on council performance to...

This Corporate Governance Framework sets out the arrangements which have been established to ensure the proper and effective management of the Department for Communities (DfC).

Discretionary Support is administered by the Department for Communities (the Department). The Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 makes provision for the Department to make payments by way of grant or loan to prescribed persons...