To ask the Minister for Communities, pursuant to his Department's Audit of Inequalities 2026, to detail any action he is taking to address the report’s finding that one in every four debt advice clients was a single parent, representing a potential inequality for women, who are more likely to be single parents.

My Department funds the Northern Ireland Debt Advice Service, which provides free, independent and regulated debt advice across Northern Ireland. This service enables people to access high-quality support when they are experiencing financial difficulty or are concerned about falling into debt.

A key focus of my Department’s approach is early intervention, helping people access advice as soon as financial difficulties arise to prevent problems from escalating. This is particularly important for households facing financial pressures, including single-parent households.

Through the Integrated Advice Partnership Fund, for which £2.2 million has been made available between November 2024 and March 2027, my Department is working with all 11 councils to deliver debt advice in community settings, including GP surgeries, social supermarkets and food banks. This approach makes support more accessible at an earlier stage, helping to improve financial resilience and wellbeing and prevent financial difficulties from escalating.

I recognise that single-parent households, many of which are headed by women, can face particular financial pressures and ensuring access to timely debt advice remains an important element of my Department's support.