Concerns grow for NI's only dedicated HIV charity after denied Core Grant funding

Concerns are growing after Northern Ireland’s only dedicated HIV charity, has been denied Core Grant funding by the Department of Health.

The organisation says the funding decision threatens both those living with HIV here and wider public health efforts to eliminate HIV here by 2030.

The charity says the drug cost of treating one new HIV diagnosis would fund three years of its prevention, campaigning and support work

Positive Life NI has highlighted that the cost of drug treatment for one person with HIV would fund three years of its campaigning and support work. It says the decision goes against the Health Minister’s ambitions to focus on prevention rather than treatment.

Despite spearheading efforts to tackle HIV-related stigma, increase testing, and provide essential support to a community of over 1300 individuals living with HIV, the charity now faces an uncertain future.

Jacquie Richardson, CEO of Positive Life NI, expressed deep concern over the funding news:

“We understand that the Department of Health had tough decisions to make, but it was always naive to think that the £1.8million allocated to supporting the voluntary and community sector is sufficient. It’s a drop in the ocean. This decision is indicative of the lack of value placed on our sector and is typical of the short-termist approach to the vital work our sector does to prop up the health service.

“We are the only charity working to educate the public around this life-changing condition. While HIV is no longer life-threatening, it is a serious illness which requires life-long expensive drug treatment. Basic mathematics tells us that the cost of drug therapy for just one additional new HIV patient in Northern Ireland would fund Positive Life’s core costs for 3 years.

“This decision is not meeting the Minister’s stated drive to tackle prevention in order to reduce the cost of treatment. It also ignores the fact that the number one priority in the Department’s Sexual Health Action Plan focuses on supporting people living with HIV and elimination of new diagnosis.

"Positive Life is leading on this work, which has made a significant contribution to the decreasing number of new HIV diagnoses in Northern Ireland over the last decade. We also believe that Northern Ireland could be the first UK region to achieve the World Health Organisation (WHO) target of zero new cases by 2030, but we can’t do that on fresh air.

“Without our consistent campaigning and community support, the real risk is that the downward trend in diagnoses will be reversed, numbers will increase and so too will the overall cost of treating HIV in Northern Ireland.”

The Positive Life Chief Executive says people living with HIV, who face public prejudice and social exclusion, could now be left without a voice. Jacquie Richardson continued,

“At a human level, this is a devastating decision for people living with HIV, who already face stigma and isolation. Because of this, our service users find it very difficult to speak out, for fear of judgment and rejection. This funding decision sends out a very damaging message to them.

“Without Positive Life, many will be left without the only wellbeing support and peer community they have – and without a voice.

“My greatest personal fear is the potential mental health impact for people living with HIV. Our service users, whether male or female, and whatever their cultural background or sexuality, all rely on confidential support and a network of others with shared experiences of living with HIV. We’ve worked tirelessly with the Department and elected representatives to progress a sense of worth and value for them in the wider NI community. With one stroke of a pen, this is completely undermined.”

Positive Life NI is urging the Department of Health to urgently reconsider its funding to support people living with HIV and to invest in keeping up the momentum on its drive to end HIV in Northern Ireland by 2030.

Stormont's Department for Health said: "The £1.8m funding has been maintained at the same level as last year, despite the ongoing severe pressures on the Health budget."

Announcing the funding from the redesigned Core Grant Scheme, Mr Nesbitt said: “I am very proud of the many capable, agile and vibrant community and voluntary sector organisations which work alongside statutory services to deliver for the people of Northern Ireland, in very many cases in direct partnership with the Health & Social Care sector.

“I have been determined to support the sector as much as possible knowing how much it can and indeed already does help my Department to deliver better outcomes to some of the most vulnerable in our society.

“It was therefore very important to me that we put in place a new Core Grant scheme, and one that was co-designed with the community and voluntary sector.

“The Department received a total of 259 applications and the standard of submissions has reinforced the incredibly valuable contribution that those organisations make towards health and social care outcomes.

“While I regret that the indicative Health budget allocation for 2025/26 does not permit me to offer funding to more of the 259 applicants, I am pleased to be able to announce that more than £1.8m in funding will be provided, subject to final checks with the 25 organisations, to support them with core costs in 2025/26.

“When I announced my plan to redesign the scheme in July 2024, I made it clear that my intention was to address the fundamental unfairness in the previous scheme, which has funded the same organisations for more than 20 years.

“I wanted the scheme to be open and transparent, and for as many organisations as possible to be able to bid for funding. Naturally, introducing competition meant that there would be winners and losers, but those who have missed out this time will have a further opportunity later this year to bid for funding in 2026/27. ”

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