Call for Financial Support for Families Affected by the Troubles
Introduction
The President of the Victims’ Payments Board has officially asked the Northern Ireland Assembly to create a financial support system for people who lost loved ones during the Troubles.
Main Body
The current Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme is managed by the Victims’ Payments Board (VPB) and was set up by the UK government because local leaders could not agree on a plan. Consequently, this system has some major limitations, most importantly that it does not provide payments to bereaved family members. Mr Justice McAlinden, the President of the VPB, emphasized that the current framework is not enough and urged the Assembly to use its legal powers to fix this unfair situation. In terms of figures, VPB Secretary Paul Bullick reported that approximately £139 million has been paid out so far. The board has handled over 13,000 applications, including many from people living outside Northern Ireland. Out of 4,800 completed cases, about 3,000 people were found eligible for yearly payments between £2,494 and £12,471. Furthermore, the VPB has worked with veterans' organizations and run international campaigns to make sure everyone knows about the scheme before it closes to new applicants at the end of August.
Conclusion
While the current disablement scheme is nearing its deadline, the VPB continues to push for a new, separate system that includes those who are bereaved.
Learning
🚀 The 'B2 Leap': From Basic Words to 'Connecting' Words
At an A2 level, you likely use simple words like And, But, and Because. To reach B2, you need to use Logical Connectors. These are words that act like bridges, showing the exact relationship between two ideas.
🔍 The Discovery
Look at these three words from the text. They are doing the 'heavy lifting' to make the writing sound professional:
- Consequently (A2 version: So)
- Furthermore (A2 version: Also)
- While (A2 version: But)
🛠️ How to use them (The Upgrade)
| A2 Pattern (Simple) | B2 Pattern (Advanced) | Why it's better |
|---|---|---|
| It rained, so I stayed home. | It rained; consequently, I stayed home. | It shows a direct cause-and-effect result. |
| I like tea. Also, I like cake. | I like tea; furthermore, I like cake. | It adds a new, stronger point to your argument. |
| The sun is out, but it is cold. | While the sun is out, it is cold. | It creates a sophisticated contrast in one sentence. |
💡 Pro Tip for Fluency
Don't just add these words to the start of a sentence. Use a comma after Consequently and Furthermore to give the reader a tiny pause. This rhythm is a hallmark of B2-level English.