Extension to high street voucher scheme causing mixed reactions in run up to Christmas

Under the economic stimulus scheme everyone over 18 in NI is eligible for a £100 prepaid card to spend with the aim of supporting local businesses, which have been devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It had originally been intended that the card would be valid until November 30.

But announcing the extension, Mr Lyons told the Assembly this week: “It remains the case that most people have four weeks to spend their card, but I recognise that this will not be the case for everyone.

“Therefore, in order to offer these applicants a fair timescale to use their card, I can today announce that I am extending the deadline to use the Spend Local cards by two weeks – from November 30 to December 14.”

But Ballymena businessman and commentator Irwin Armstrong said the cards should not have been deployed in the run up to Christmas.

He said: “Rather than extending the deadline by which they must be used, the cards should have been paused at the end of November and reactivated in January; the early part of the year is a particularly quiet time for retailers.

“But using the cards right up to December 14 means they are basically being used for Christmas shopping, when most people would have been spending more than normal anyway.”

However Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said that given the administrative challenges around the registration of the card, an extension of two weeks is understandable.

“We are optimistic that this extension will not displace the traditional Christmas spend and that consumers will continue to use their card to support independent retailers,” he said. “It is very clear that shoppers have heeded our call to support their local independent retailers, with some very positive feedback from our members”.

The Commissioner for Older People, Eddie Lynch also welcomed the extension.

“This will be positive news for those who had trouble accessing the card, through no fault of their own, due to complications with identity verification,” he said. “It also benefits those older people who may rely on the availability of another person to assist them with their shopping. Additionally, there were many older people who relied on the telephone service to apply for their card, which was made available two weeks after the online portal opened.”

Kevin Higgins, Head of Policy at welfare advocacy organisation Advice NI, also welcomed the extension.

“Advice NI believes that during the current cost of living crisis as people are threatened with going cold and hungry, any measure which helps to ensure that people are able to access every penny of all available support is to be welcomed,” he said. “As such, the extension should ensure more people are able to avail of the High Street scheme.” He added that the NI Executive must “finally agree a way forward” on welfare mitigation legislation this week, because otherwise officials will not be able to continue payments beyond this financial year if the assembly collapses.

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