Making Belfast a welcoming, caring, fair and inclusive city – leaving no one behind

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As a compassionate city, we recognise the diversity of our people and we are determined to make things better for everyone.

Our priorities will help to ensure that the most vulnerable people in our society have a genuine sense of belonging and are able to participate and access opportunities. This includes understanding and respecting the diverse cultures, languages and identities of all our people.

All our priorities and action plans have been influenced by a desire to address inequalities which are a result of people’s gender, race, age and disability. These are included throughout our action plans where appropriate.


We have identified four priorities under this theme:

  1. Inclusive growth and anti-poverty
  2. Children and young people
  3. Older people
  4. Good relations and a shared future


We have created detailed action plans for each of these priorities, which can be viewed by clicking on the 'action plans' links on this page.


Measures of success

The things we want to achieve by 2028 include:

  • reducing the proportion of people living in relative poverty from 18% (before housing costs). Relative poverty is the term used to describe a person living in a household where the income is less than 60% of the UK median income.
  • reducing the proportion of children (0-15 years) growing up in poverty from 22% to 18% (at least 3,000 children).
  • supporting 600 to 800 older people (most in need) through activities which aim to improve their activity levels, help them feel more connected and less lonely.
  • increasing the percentage of young people (16 – 24) who agree that they are able to have a say on how services are run, what the priorities are, or where investment is needed from 32.6% to 40.5%.


Use the "Stay Informed" link to be kept up to date with engagements and updates relating to this theme.

As a compassionate city, we recognise the diversity of our people and we are determined to make things better for everyone.

Our priorities will help to ensure that the most vulnerable people in our society have a genuine sense of belonging and are able to participate and access opportunities. This includes understanding and respecting the diverse cultures, languages and identities of all our people.

All our priorities and action plans have been influenced by a desire to address inequalities which are a result of people’s gender, race, age and disability. These are included throughout our action plans where appropriate.


We have identified four priorities under this theme:

  1. Inclusive growth and anti-poverty
  2. Children and young people
  3. Older people
  4. Good relations and a shared future


We have created detailed action plans for each of these priorities, which can be viewed by clicking on the 'action plans' links on this page.


Measures of success

The things we want to achieve by 2028 include:

  • reducing the proportion of people living in relative poverty from 18% (before housing costs). Relative poverty is the term used to describe a person living in a household where the income is less than 60% of the UK median income.
  • reducing the proportion of children (0-15 years) growing up in poverty from 22% to 18% (at least 3,000 children).
  • supporting 600 to 800 older people (most in need) through activities which aim to improve their activity levels, help them feel more connected and less lonely.
  • increasing the percentage of young people (16 – 24) who agree that they are able to have a say on how services are run, what the priorities are, or where investment is needed from 32.6% to 40.5%.


Use the "Stay Informed" link to be kept up to date with engagements and updates relating to this theme.

Comments or questions about compassionate city

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  • Share How will you fund outreach services required if Belfast City Council lacks any means to generate additional revenue outside of increasing already high rates for individuals - i.e. by charging for water usage or applying full rates for vacant properties or industrial properties - and if funds provided are being spent on one-off landmark projects like a gondola up a hill on Facebook Share How will you fund outreach services required if Belfast City Council lacks any means to generate additional revenue outside of increasing already high rates for individuals - i.e. by charging for water usage or applying full rates for vacant properties or industrial properties - and if funds provided are being spent on one-off landmark projects like a gondola up a hill on Twitter Share How will you fund outreach services required if Belfast City Council lacks any means to generate additional revenue outside of increasing already high rates for individuals - i.e. by charging for water usage or applying full rates for vacant properties or industrial properties - and if funds provided are being spent on one-off landmark projects like a gondola up a hill on Linkedin Email How will you fund outreach services required if Belfast City Council lacks any means to generate additional revenue outside of increasing already high rates for individuals - i.e. by charging for water usage or applying full rates for vacant properties or industrial properties - and if funds provided are being spent on one-off landmark projects like a gondola up a hill link

    How will you fund outreach services required if Belfast City Council lacks any means to generate additional revenue outside of increasing already high rates for individuals - i.e. by charging for water usage or applying full rates for vacant properties or industrial properties - and if funds provided are being spent on one-off landmark projects like a gondola up a hill

    Lafrowna asked 29 days ago

    Thank you for taking the time to contact us. 

    Local Councils get their funding from

    • rates (district rate element)
    • various grants, mostly from the Department of Communities (DfC)
    • government grants
    • fees and charges for certain services
    • loans

    You can find out more about how local councils are funded on the Department for Communities’ website:

    Department for Communities (DfC)'s website(external link opens in a new window / tab).

Page last updated: 22 Mar 2024, 01:07 PM