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FactCheckNI
@factcheckni.bsky.social
FactCheckNI is Northern Ireland’s first and only dedicated not for profit fact checking and training service. Accuracy matters.
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We’ve had a lot of new followers in recent days, so we thought we’d (re)introduce ourselves!

FactCheckNI is an independent team of fact-checkers committed to examining key public statements related to Northern Ireland.
Fact checked: Nearly all pornographic deepfakes depict women; a stark reminder that online harms disproportionately affect women and girls.

Read our full article ⬇️
February 5, 2026 at 12:12 PM
Independent fact checking is vital to democracy and public trust in NI.

Our work supports informed public debate by checking claims transparently and impartially.

If you value evidence-based discussion,support our work: crowdfunder.co.uk/p/factcheckni

#NorthernIreland #criticalthinking
January 28, 2026 at 9:46 AM
📈Trade between NI, GB and Ireland has increased in recent years.

👉 While the figures cited in support of the Windsor Framework are broadly accurate, trade volumes were already rising before the framework was agreed in 2023, meaning the data alone does not show its impact on trade.
January 26, 2026 at 1:51 PM
📊Are Northern Ireland’s breastfeeding rates among the lowest in Europe?

A new @FactCheckNI analysis finds that while international data comparisons are imperfect, current evidence suggests NI lags behind the rest of the UK - and the UK sits near the bottom in Europe.

Read the full breakdown 👇
January 15, 2026 at 9:16 AM
Do nearly 1 in 20 over-50s in Northern Ireland suffer from PTSD?

New research says 4.74% are living with PTSD right now, and almost 60% say their worst trauma is Troubles-related.

Understanding the facts matters.

Read our full analysis 👉 factcheckni.org/articles/men...
January 12, 2026 at 10:38 AM
A new year doesn’t need louder opinions, it needs clearer facts.

In 2026, FactCheckNI will keep checking claims, explaining the evidence, and separating fact from spin in Northern Ireland.

Because accuracy still matters.
January 5, 2026 at 9:15 AM
Reposted by FactCheckNI
🌍 Who comes to the UK, and what are they entitled to?

Most UK migrants are here legally - and unauthorised migrants have very limited entitlements. In this article we unpack the facts behind the headlines.

👉 Read the full explainer here: factcheckni.org/articles/exp...
August 27, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Northern Ireland still has the largest disability employment gap in the UK - but have the numbers shifted recently? 🔍

Read our fact-check to find out.
#DisabilityEmployment #FactCheckNI

🔗 factcheckni.org/articles/emp...
November 7, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Former DUP MP Ian Paisley Jr. recently claimed that proportionally, more loyalists than republicans went to prison during the Troubles.

FactCheckNI reviewed the evidence and found big gaps in the data.

Our verdict? Unsubstantiated.
November 3, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Behind every statistic on Violence Against Women and Girls is a real person - but if the data’s unclear, how can we fight it?

Our article explores the serious gaps in how NI’s justice system records and understands VAWG.

Read more here 👉 factcheckni.org/articles/exp...
October 29, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Who’s responsible for Lough Neagh’s phosphorus pollution?

Agriculture (61%) leads, while wastewater & septics tanks adds 30%.

Read our full analysis here 👉 factcheckni.org/articles/lou...

#LoughNeagh #FactCheckNI #NIEnvironment
October 16, 2025 at 11:19 AM
🎓Does Northern Ireland really have a shortage of local uni places?

NI’s universities face a challenge: demand outstrips supply. But the story is more complicated than it seems - with funding caps, student choices, and migration all in the mix. 📊

Read our full analysis 👇

#HigherEdNI #Education
October 2, 2025 at 9:08 AM
👥 Northern Ireland is getting older.

There are now more people aged 70+ than children under 10.

What does this mean for our future health, pensions & policies?

Read more ➡️ factcheckni.org/articles/dem...

#northernireland #demographics #factcheckni
September 19, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Does Belfast have the 2nd highest number of asylum seekers in the UK, and do almost a fifth of them live in BT12, as claimed by DUP MLA Edwin Poots?

❌ No.
📊Belfast ranks 20th overall.
👥With 0.6% of the local population (1 in 167 people).
➡️ No data confirms the BT12 claim.
September 11, 2025 at 9:06 AM
📊 FactCheckNI has a new series exploring NI’s demographics-exploring age,religion and place of birth.

These articles are designed to be a reference point for what’s changed and what’s stayed the same over time.

➡️First up: place of birth.Where were people who call NI home born?
September 5, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Does Belfast really house more “illegal migrants” than every other UK city except Glasgow? Turns out, no.

This FactCheckNI article slices through the noise with clear, evidence-based insight.

Read our full analysis 👉 factcheckni.org/articles/imm...

#FactCheckNI #NorthernIreland #Belfast
August 28, 2025 at 10:06 AM
🌍 Who comes to the UK, and what are they entitled to?

Most UK migrants are here legally - and unauthorised migrants have very limited entitlements. In this article we unpack the facts behind the headlines.

👉 Read the full explainer here: factcheckni.org/articles/exp...
August 27, 2025 at 8:30 PM
We recently published an analysis of what is known about Violence Against Women and Girls in Northern Ireland, focusing on the criminal justice system and, in particular, the statistical records maintained by the PSNI.
August 12, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Reposted by FactCheckNI
Who migrates to the UK and what are they entitled to?

🔺Immigration has been a recurring theme in UK, Irish and global politics over the last number of years. In some cases there have been protests, riots and attacks on people who are perceived not to be ‘local’.
July 9, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Crime in NI: Have reoffending rates risen to nearly 75%?

UUP MLA Doug Beattie recently claimed: “[R]e-offending rates in Northern Ireland have gone from 70% in 2016 to around 74% in 2024”.

Was he right? No.
August 6, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Is bad information impacting the communities or groups you work with?

Thousands have benefitted from our training sessions in fact-checking and critical thinking skills.

Find out how NI’s first and only fact checking organisation can support you.

factcheckni.org/training/
July 29, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Who migrates to the UK and what are they entitled to?

🔺Immigration has been a recurring theme in UK, Irish and global politics over the last number of years. In some cases there have been protests, riots and attacks on people who are perceived not to be ‘local’.
July 9, 2025 at 3:58 PM
This July, FactCheckNI is 10!

For a decade, we’ve been checking facts, tackling misinformation, and championing critical thinking in NI.

Stick with us as we keep holding power to account and standing up for evidence and integrity.
July 9, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Housing in NI: Are rents rising faster in Belfast than in London?

Yes - overall, when considering all the available data and the quality of that data, there is plenty of evidence to support the claim that rents in Belfast are increasing at a higher rate than those in London.
July 8, 2025 at 10:21 AM
What we don’t know about Violence Against Women and Girls in Northern Ireland.

🔺Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is a big problem under a bright spotlight. But what do we really know about it?

#VAWG #NorthernIreland
July 2, 2025 at 10:45 AM