‘Get ready to Spend Local’ says Minister

As the High Street Support Scheme is set to go live on Monday (September 27), Economy Minister, Gordon Lyons has reminded residents of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough that the online portal will remain open for applications until October 25.
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The portal enables anyone aged 18+ and a resident in Northern Ireland to apply for the £100 Spend Local pre-paid cards.

The Minister said: “Now is the time for residents of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area to get ready to Spend Local.

“But I would urge people to be patient as we expect demand to be high in the early days of the online portal being open.

Economy Minister Gordon Lyons promoting the High Street Voucher scheme in ColeraineEconomy Minister Gordon Lyons promoting the High Street Voucher scheme in Coleraine
Economy Minister Gordon Lyons promoting the High Street Voucher scheme in Coleraine

“The portal remains open until October 25 so everyone will have an opportunity to make their application, with at least four weeks after that to use their Spend Local cards as the scheme doesn’t end until November 30.”

The objective of the £145million High Street Support Scheme is to boost local businesses following the drop in footfall brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Minister Lyons added: “By giving everyone aged 18 and over in Northern Ireland a pre-paid card worth £100 to spend in local high street businesses, we will encourage many more customers back through the doors of local retail, hospitality and services.

“By applying, receiving and ultimately using your Spend Local card in local businesses such as shops, hospitality and other services before November 30, you will be doing your bit to support your local businesses and the wider community.”

Economy Minister Gordon Lyons in Coleraine. Registration for the High Street Scheme Spend Local card will be open from September 27 until October 25Economy Minister Gordon Lyons in Coleraine. Registration for the High Street Scheme Spend Local card will be open from September 27 until October 25
Economy Minister Gordon Lyons in Coleraine. Registration for the High Street Scheme Spend Local card will be open from September 27 until October 25

High Street Support Scheme Key Dates

Week commencing October 4 – First tranche of cards will issue to those who have successfully applied for the Spend Local pre-paid card.

October 11 – Telephone service will open to support applications from people not able to access or use the online portal.

October 25 – High Street Scheme online portal and telephone services will close.

October 25 – the last qualifying date for those turning 18 to be eligible to apply for a Spend Local card.

November 30 – High Street Scheme closes and the Spend Local pre-paid cards will cease to be valid.

Applicants are asked to apply through the website, NI Direct.  For verification purposes in order to reduce the risk of fraud and error, each applicant will be asked to provide their: name, address, age, gender, disability status, national insurance number, email address and telephone number.

Applicants also have the option of including a driving licence number to enable verification.

Once the applicant has completed the registration process their information will be checked against a number of government databases to verify their identity.

Eligible applicants should receive their Spend Local card within 7-10 days of making their application. When an applicant receives their card, they will need to verify the card through a computer-operated phone system or text message and make the first payment using a pin, before they can start to use it for contactless payments.

The cards can be used in all participating businesses in Northern Ireland. They cannot be used online or for gambling or some financial and legal services. The telephone support service will open on October 11. The later opening of the telephone service has been implemented to encourage more people to apply online and avoid using the phone line, leaving it available for those who do not have access to, or are not able to use, the internet.

Meanwhile, both the business community and the public are warned to be on their guard against scammers attempting to take advantage of the scheme. The Department for the Economy will not be asking for your personal financial data at any point during the scheme.

If you have any specific questions about how the scheme works, look up the answers on the  website at https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/articles/high-street-scheme or https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/spend-local-card