Belfast, 13 April 2026 - Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) Leadership met this morning to discuss the deepening cost‑of‑living crisis and the escalating fuel costs facing civil servants and wider public service workers.
Members reiterated the concerns raised in NIPSA’s press statement issued on Friday, noting that growing financial pressures on staff continue to go unaddressed. Rising fuel prices and everyday living costs are placing unsustainable strain on workers, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet.
Following a review of NIPSA’s engagement with employers, the Executive Committee agreed that progress remains insufficient. As a result, NIPSA is now demanding that the Northern Ireland Executive immediately release funding to the Civil Service and wider public services to enable employers to properly address these costs.
Serious concern was also expressed about the disproportionate impact on staff who are required to use their own vehicles for work. For these workers, increasing fuel costs mean they are effectively subsidising the delivery of public services from their own wages, a situation NIPSA has described as unacceptable.
NIPSA is calling on employers to implement immediate, practical support measures, including:
- Expanding remote and hybrid working where possible
- Increasing mileage and fuel allowances to reflect real costs
- Offering greater flexibility in working hours
- Introducing fuel or travel support measures
The union has made clear, however, that these steps cannot be delivered without political action.
Maria Morgan, Deputy General Secretary of NIPSA, said:
“The cost‑of‑living and fuel crisis continues to hit civil and public servants hard, and the concerns we raised on Friday remain unresolved. Workers, particularly those required to use their own cars, cannot be expected to absorb these rising costs indefinitely.
“NIPSA is calling for immediate, practical support for staff, but this can only happen if the Northern Ireland Executive releases the necessary funding. Without that, workers will continue to be unfairly penalised for simply doing their jobs.”
NIPSA will continue to press employers and the Northern Ireland Executive for urgent and meaningful action to protect workers from the impact of the cost‑of‑living crisis.
ENDS
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