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7 Jan
The Department for the Economy has said they are currently considering options on what to do about the small percentage of the public who did not receive their Spend Local Voucher.
The pre-paid cards worth £100 were issued as part of the High Street Voucher Scheme to help businesses bounce back from set-backs caused by lockdown.
The scheme opened on September 27 and closed at midnight on Sunday, December 19, when cards became no longer valid.
The Department has said that the scheme has delivered "a much-needed boost" to the economy in the region of around £135 million and that footfall was increased by almost 6% on the previous month.
A spokesperson for the Department for the Economy said: "It is clear that the scheme has been very successful. Over 1.4 million pre-paid £100 Spend Local cards were dispatched delivering a much-needed boost – in the region of at least £135m – to the local economy.
"The scheme received a lot of positive feedback from a wide variety of businesses and organisations across all parts of Northern Ireland. According to an Ulster Bank Survey, retail sales in Northern Ireland rose in November for the first time in four months. The bank's monthly survey of private sector businesses is considered a reliable indicator of economic performance.
"Its Chief Economist Richard Ramsey said the scheme undoubtedly contributed to the pick-up in demand. A report from the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium (NIRC) showed that Northern Ireland’s footfall in November increased by 5.6 percentage points on the previous month. Northern Ireland’s shop visits were 10 percentage points higher than the UK average.
They continued: "While over 99.5% of eligible applicants received their cards before the scheme ended and encountered no issue with their card, a small proportion of the population did not receive their Spend Local Cards or experienced problems activating or using their cards. The Department is currently considering options for those affected. "Further detailed information and analysis – including the final verified spend figure – will be published after the scheme has closed for all participants."
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