THE Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) has appeared to confirm that a long-standing safety net fund for benefits claimants is to be slashed to help pay for benefit top-ups.
It is claimed the ‘discretionary fund’ will be reduced by more 80 per cent this year ahead of the money being reallocated for new welfare mitigation measures.
In each of the previous three years the fund has topped £80m, but this year it has been cut to £15.5m.
OFMDFM denied claims in yesterday's Irish News that the discretionary fund will make up the bulk of a new welfare top-up package.
"There has been no sleight of hand or con trick, rather a commitment by the Executive to support the most vulnerable in society and hard-working families to the tune of £585 million over the next four years.
"As for the claim that there is no new money, tell that to over 100,000 families here who will be relying on the support and funding set aside by the Executive to mitigate against the welfare changes."
However, Green Party MLA Steven Agnew stood by his claim that people were being conned and said the OFMDFM statement gave added weight to his assertion.
“There is nothing in what OFMDFM says that has changed my mind,” he said.
“It’s still raiding the discretionary fund to pay for the new welfare mitigations.”
