Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Northern Ireland doles out £100 shopping vouchers to all adults

Northern Ireland doles out £100 shopping vouchers to all adults
Pictured in Carrickfergus with Northern Ireland Economy Minister Gordon Lyons are (l-r) Lee Britton, PFS; Roger Pollen, FSB NI; Colin Neill, Hospitality Ulster; Sarah Cunningham, Mastercard and Aodhán Connolly, NI Retail Consortium.

Northern Ireland has launched a new High Street Scheme, which will see everyone aged 18 and over getting a pre-paid card worth £100 to spend on their local high street.

The £145 million scheme will be delivered by Prepaid Financial Services (PFS). The registration process is expected to open to the public in September.


“This scheme is a key element of my Department’s Economic Recovery Action Plan and will give a very welcome boost to our high streets which were hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. This uplift is what our local businesses need and deserve,” Economy Minister Gordon Lyons said, launching the ‘Spend Local’ logo, which will feature on each of the cards, during a visit to businesses in Carrickfergus.

“It will mean up to 1.4 million people will have an extra £100 each to spend on our high streets rather than online. This will help bring many more customers back through the doors of local retail, hospitality and other sectors,” he added.

Aodhán Connolly, Director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said the scheme will be a welcome boost to high street retailers.

“The past year has been one of the hardest on record for our retail industry and our high streets because of the pandemic. This scheme will give a welcome boost to high street retailers and other consumer-facing sectors in towns and cities in Northern Ireland,” Connolly said.

“It will create a virtuous circle of spending that supports our economy, boosts local commerce and gives our shoppers some retail and hospitality therapy. We would encourage everyone who is eligible to register for the scheme and make every penny count.”

Retail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts added: “This scheme is a win-win for our members and our high streets. It will be a significant spending boost for struggling independent retailers as we progress the long road toward recovery.

“70p in every pound spent with an independent retailer is recycled around the economy, supporting local producers, farmers and manufacturers. So it is vital that consumers make a special effort to spend this pre-paid card with local traders to ensure the widest possible boost to our economy.”

PFS is a payments technology company which helps governments worldwide get money quickly into the hands of people who need it the most.

Lee Britton, chief executive for Europe at PFS, said: “'We are delighted to have been awarded this contract. Our award-winning economic stimulus product trusted by governments worldwide will help to give a huge financial boost to the Northern Ireland economy.”

Minister Lyons urged the public to sign up for the electoral register if they have not already done so as the government plans to use the register to check registrations for the High Street Scheme.

The scheme follows research carried out by Retail Economics on how, when and where the scheme could impact on consumer spending.

“The results of the consumer panel show that there is evidence that the scheme will encourage shoppers back on the high street, to support local independent businesses and to spend their card in those sectors that have faced difficulties trading in the past year. Many respondents considered that it would encourage them to visit physical locations,” Lyons said.

The High Street Scheme pre-paid card will be able to be accepted by shops and businesses which can accept credit and debit cards for payment. It cannot be used to purchase goods or services online.

More for you

innocent drinks, Co-op team up to donate portions of fruit and veg to charity

innocent drinks, Co-op team up to donate portions of fruit and veg to charity

innocent drinks, Europe’s leading healthy drinks company, is announcing a new partnership with Alexandra Rose Charity as it advances its mission to help people live well through the delicious goodness of fruits and vegetables.

Government statistics reveal that just one third of adults, and 12 per cent of 11–18-year-olds, are managing to get the recommended “Five a Day”. This is even starker for lower-income families, with the most deprived fifth of adults consuming 37 per cent less fruit and veg than the least deprived, and their children 29 per cent.

Keep ReadingShow less
‘Spooktacular’ store POS drives sales, customer engagement for Nisa retailer NP Group

‘Spooktacular’ store POS drives sales, customer engagement for Nisa retailer NP Group

As the final key retail season of the year approaches, Nisa retailer NP Group is gearing up for Christmas with a renewed focus on store activation and point-of-sale (POS) strategy to drive sales following a successful Halloween.

With seasonal shopping trends in full swing, effective in-store activation and visibility are crucial for smaller retailers to capture customer attention and keep up with larger competitors. Data from Retail Economics shows that UK shoppers spent approximately £10 billion on seasonal products in 2023, with Halloween contributing £650 million alone, marking a steady increase in seasonal shopping over recent years.

Keep ReadingShow less
Post Office cash deposits and withdrawals
Post Office, DPD partners to rollout ‘Click and Collect’ services
Post Office, DPD partners to rollout ‘Click and Collect’ services

Most Horizon scandal victims say it 'destroyed relationships'

Around two thirds (65 per cent) of people affected by the Horizon scandal have said it impacted their family and relationships, while many respondents report estrangement from family members because of the scandal, according to a paper published today (1) by the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry’s listening project.

The paper title In Your Own Words illustrates the various challenges the Horizon scandal has inflicted on people’s relationships, with respondents reporting the breakdown of relationships, estrangement from family members, and acute loneliness. Some adult children of former sub-postmasters shared how they experienced bullying, financial issues and mental health struggles because of the scandal. Others reported how their parents have died before knowing the truth about the Horizon scandal, which magnified their grief.

Keep ReadingShow less
Wholesalers give cautious welcome to Reeves' budget

iStock image

Wholesalers give cautious welcome to Reeves' budget

The wholesalers have welcomed several measures announced in Chancellor Rachel Reeves's first budget but have raised concern the increase in National Living Wage and Employers National Insurance contributions will add an estimated £110 million in direct wage costs to the wholesale sector.

The wholesalers also pointed out that the lack of clarity on business rates reform means that wholesalers operating large physical premises remain disproportionately impacted by high rates. Without meaningful reform and a set timeline, these businesses will continue to shoulder a heavier burden than those in sectors with minimal property overhead.

Keep ReadingShow less
New benefits scheme for Fed members

New benefits scheme for Fed members

The Federation of Independent Retailers (The Fed) has launched an exclusive benefits scheme for Fed members.

Called FedPlus, the scheme offers a range of discounts on a host of goods and activities, from everyday purchases to luxury products.

Through FedPlus, Fed members will have access to a range of fantastic money-saving benefits covering a wide variety of areas – from health and well-being to home and car essentials, and from food and drink to fashion and tech, entertainment, travel and experiences.

There is a Savings Calculator to show how much has been saved, based on monthly or annual spending, on a range of everyday categories. The Savings Calculator will generate a personal savings total and provide links to the individual deals.

Launching FedPlus, National President Mo Razzaq said: “In my inaugural speech at the Fed’s Annual Conference in June, I spoke about the importance of providing more benefits to help members make money, save money and make business easier.

“Just four months on, we are delighted to bring you FedPlus. This is an exciting new addition to our ever-growing list of member benefits which brings you quick, at your fingertips access to several offers across a wide range of categories so the money in your wallets and purses goes even further in these financially strained times.”

Members can access the scheme through thefedonline.com website. It went live yesterday (October 31).

FedPlus is managed and run for the Fed by Parliament Hill Limited, which has been providing benefit management solutions for membership organisations for the past 20 years. Top name companies offering discounts include Virgin Experience Days, Nuffield Health, Hotpoint, Halfords, Boots, Curry’s and EE.

Tom Sparke, joint managing director and client services director at Parliament Hill, said: “We are looking forward to working with the Fed to assist them in the fantastic support that it provides for its members.

“The Fed has a strong commitment to supporting its members, which aligns with the Parliament Hill ethos of placing the needs of our clients’ members at the heart of what we do.”