To ask the Minister for Communities to detail any steps he took during 2024 to provide the necessary financial support, debt relief and education to ensure people are not at risk from illegal lenders.

Tackling illegal money lending spans the remit of several departments and requires a co-ordinated approach.

My Department is responsible for financial wellbeing policy, including debt advice, in Northern Ireland and provides funding to Advice NI and its affiliated local advice centres to deliver the NI Debt Advice Service, which supports victims of illegal money lending by offering free, independent debt advice and signposting.

The Discretionary Support service provides a fast and responsive means of delivering short term financial support to assist with day-to-day living expenses if a person is in an extreme, exceptional or crisis situation. Discretionary Support can offer help towards short-term living expenses or household items via an interest free loan or a non-repayable grant to people experiencing financial difficulties, provided a person meets the eligibility criteria.

My officials continue to work with colleagues in The Executive Programme on Paramilitarism & Organised Crime, who raise awareness of the impact of illegal money lending via its ‘Ending the Harm’ campaign.