Can Northern Ireland leapfrog its way to becoming a leader in wellbeing policy?

At Carnegie UK, we know that the ability to monitor and communicate progress toward the achievement of outcomes is critical in bringing about positive social change. That’s why we were delighted to see the Northern Ireland Executive put a mission-led approach at the heart of its recent draft Programme for Government,

And we know just how urgent positive social change in Northern Ireland is. Our Life in the UK index now provides two years of evidence about what life is like for people living there. Out of a possible score of 100, Northern Ireland’s collective wellbeing in 2024 was just 60. A score that has shown no significant change since the same research was undertaken in 2023.

It has been a significant year for democracy in Northern Ireland with the return of the Northern Ireland Executive after two years of absence, and a UK general election. But now there is work to do. The evidence in our 2024 report – launched last week in Belfast – underlines the scale of the challenge. It also demonstrates why the Chancellor’s announcement in the Autumn Budget that the UK Government will provide an additional £1.5 billion to Northern Ireland, to invest in schools, housing, health and social care, and transport, is essential.

Our research found that:

• A staggering 66% of people in Northern Ireland find it difficult to get a GP appointment at a time when they need one (compared to 52% in England, 48% in Scotland and 49% in Wales).
• 78% disagree that they can influence decisions affecting the UK.
• 35% can’t afford an unexpected expense of £850.

Carnegie UK’s work across the UK and Ireland has taught us that coherent and effective leadership will be critical in the months and years ahead. The Scottish and Welsh Governments have each made similar commitments to outcomes-led approaches, which so far have had variable levels of success in driving system-wide change.

These experiences have taught us that any gap between rhetoric and reality will be a drag on implementation, and that political and executive leadership, while critical, are not sufficient on their own.

A sustained focus on adopting and implementing a fresh approach to governing and providing adequate support for public bodies to think and act long term could be what sets Northern Ireland apart in delivering a wellbeing approach to government that brings about change for the people living there.

To find out more about how people in Northern Ireland are living today, read our full report.