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  • NI High Street Scheme

    Topics:
    • Statistics and economic research, 
    • Economic research

    The NI High Street Scheme opened its online portal for applications on 27 September and its telephone application service on 11 October 2021. The aim of the scheme was to boost economic activity by providing every person in Northern Ireland, aged 18 and over, with a prepaid Spend Local card worth £100 to spend in local businesses.

    Official statistics

    This statistical report presents a range of analysis on the Northern Ireland High Street Scheme.

    • Analysis of the Northern Ireland High Street Scheme

    Research

    The following reports present key findings on the Northern Ireland High Street Scheme from questions asked in the NISRA Coronavirus (COVID-19) Opinion Survey:

    • Northern Ireland High Street Scheme Survey October 2021 to March 2022 Report
    • Northern Ireland High Street Scheme Survey August to November 2021 Report

    Management information

    The management information presented in this release relates to data extracted on 27 January 2022.

    • Management Information - Northern Ireland High Street Scheme Spend Local cards and related spend

    Infographic - applications from eligible NI residents

    The following Infographics provide information on verified applications for the Spend Local card from both the online portal and the telephone application service. An application is verified when the identity of the applicant has been confirmed by one or a combination of the matching services including the Electoral Register, Driver and Vehicle Agency and Department for the Communities.

    The first Infographic provides information on the number of eligible NI residents aged 18 and over who have applied for their Spend Local card and been verified.

    For the period 27 September to close of applications

    You can view the infographic for the period 27 September to close of applications at:

    • Infographic - verified eligible Northern Ireland applicants to High Street Spend Local Scheme to close of applications

    For the period 27 September to 22 October 2021

    You can view the infographic for the period 27 September to 22 October at:

    • Infographic - verified eligible Northern Ireland applicants to High Street Spend Local Scheme to 22 October 2021

    For the period 27 September to 15 October 2021

    You can view the infographic for the period 27 September to 15 October at:

    • Infographic - verified eligible Northern Ireland applicants to High Street Spend Local Scheme to 15 October 2021

    Infographic - take up

    The second Infographic provides information on the take-up which is a comparison of those who have applied for the Spend Local card and been verified with the NI population aged 18 and over.

    For the period 27 September to close of applications

    You can view the infographic for the period 27 September to close of applications at:

    • Infographic - take up rate for High Street Spend Local Scheme to close of applications

    For the period 27 September to 22 October 2021

    You can view the infographic for the period 27 September to 22 October 2021 at:

    • Infographic - take up rate for High Street Spend Local Scheme to 22 October 2021

    For the period 27 September to 15 October 2021

    You can view the infographic for the period 27 September to 15 October 2021 at:

    • Infographic - take up rate for High Street Spend Local Scheme to 15 October 2021

    Point to note

    Please note that figures relate to the number of verified applications, not the number of cards dispatched (which include replacement cards).

    Disability analysis

    Please note that for the purposes of this analysis, having a disability is self- reported and is defined as someone answering ‘yes’ to the following registration question:

    Are your day-to-day activities limited because of a health problem or disability which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months?

    As there is no official data source on the prevalence of people with a disability, NISRA’s Continuous Household Survey was used. The proportion of people aged 16+ with a disability in 2019/20 (as defined above) was 28 per cent. This is being used as a proxy.

    Sources of information

    The sources of information used to compare the number of applications against the NI Population aged 18 and over (mid 2021) are:

    • 2018-based population projections for Northern Ireland
    • 2018-based population projections for areas within Northern Ireland

    Related content

    • Competitiveness and prosperity
    • COVID-19 Analysis
    • Defining priority sectors/clusters
    • EU Exit Analysis
    • Innovation and Enterprise
    • Joint letter to UK government Minister for Safe and Legal Migration
    • Mapping NI's financial services sector
    • Research Bulletins
    • Research Digests
    • Research on gift cards from the Continuous Household Survey
    • Research Programme
    • Research Seminars
    • Skills and Employment
    • Trade and Investment
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