Economic policy

Information on the Northern Ireland Economic Strategy and steps to tackle economic inactivity.

It is essential that businesses can access appropriate and affordable finance suitable to their stage of development, whether they are startups or more established enterprises.

Entrepreneurship is a focus for the Department for the Economy and is a long standing challenge for Northern Ireland. The Minister’s economic vision, as set out in the Assembly on 19 February 2024, placed a renewed emphasis on regional balance, including support for SMEs and start-ups. Our ambition is to become a regionally balanced economy known for our enterprising culture, to drive up the rate of new business start-ups and create an environment that actively fosters and supports entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into reality.

Details of the Department for the Economy’s (DfE’s) current projects, policies and strategies that are part of its innovation and research and development objectives.

The Department for the Economy (DfE) has a key role in the development of social economy policy for Northern Ireland.

Details on the Department for the Economy's (DfE) role in providing better regulation for businesses, including the review of business red tape.

All subsidies provided by Public Authorities in Northern Ireland must comply with either the EU State aid Rules or UK’s Subsidy Control Regime. DfE Subsidy Control Advice Unit provides Advice, Awareness and Assistance, to all NI Public Authorities, on whether they are providing subsidies, which regime(s) applies, and the steps they need to take to be legally compliant.

On 27 January 2025, the Minister announced the allocation of a £45m fund over three years. The fund will be available to help form Local Economic Partnerships, which will be led by councils.

In May 2024, the Education Minister brought forward an Executive Paper that outlined proposals for a package of measures to support the early years and childcare sector and parents with the affordability of childcare costs. One of the proposals was to “provide emergency support to childcare providers in significant financial difficulty and in areas where demand for childcare exceeds supply”. The Executive agreed this paper.

As small amounts of aid are unlikely to distort competition, a useful approved EU mechanism for State aid is the industrial de minimis regulation which allows small amounts of aid, that is, less than €300,000 over a 3 year period, to a single undertaking for a wide range of purposes.

A flow chart designed to help walk you though the step by step process to understand what to do next, if you think that State aid might be present in your project.

Economic disparities have grown between areas that perform well and those that are being left behind.

Services of General Economic Interest (SGEI) are services the state wants to provide for the general public which are not adequately supplied by market forces alone.

The General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) provides State aid cover for categories of aid which are exempt from the European Commission's (EC) formal notification process.

Minimal Financial Assistance is a Subsidy Control exemption that allows small amounts of funding, up to £315,000, to be awarded to an Enterprise in the applicable 3-year period. This is the elapsed part of the current financial year (i.e. from 1 April), and the previous two financial years immediately preceding the current financial year.

This article outlines the process for staff to follow on receipt of a request for information. (Last updated 19/01/22)

This is the latest version of the Department for the Economy Raising Concerns Policy (effective March 2026)

This is the latest version of the Department for the Economy Fraud Policy (effective March 2026).

This is the latest version of the Department for the Economy Fraud Response Plan (effective March 2026).

This is the latest version of the Department for the Economy Raising Concerns Response Plan (effective March 2026)