Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CARD LUCK FOR 103,000
Lyons: I want all to get voucher
ECONOMY Minister Gordon Lyons has confirmed that 103,000 people have faced verification problems with their Spend Local card applications.
Part of his economic recovery action plan – worth £275million in total – £100 is pre-loaded on to each card for spending in shops in Northern Ireland.
Applications closed for the scheme at midnight on Monday and the vouchers will have to be used before the end of November.
There have been over 1.43 million applications, the Department for the Economy revealed earlier this week.
But as of yesterday, cards have been issued to just over 700,000 people, well over half of the applications, with £17million having already been spent in shops and businesses throughout the region.
Last week, around 103,000 people were told they needed to send more personal details to obtain their voucher.
The email noreply@spendlocalni. com asked them to upload further information to verify their identity.
One piece of information is needed to confirm an applicant is a resident in Northern Ireland and another to confirm their date of birth.
Those contacted had a week to do so – with 88,000 having so far submitted more information, at least 45,000 of whom passed that verification process. Mr Lyons told the BBC: “We want to make sure that everybody gets their card and it’s in our and their interests that they do.
“However, we have to ensure that their details match up with what we have on our records as well. That may take a little bit more time and a few more days to get that sorted out. Most people will be expected to get their cards in the coming days.
“I have also instructed officials today to be as flexible as possible when it comes to the verification of these details.”
Earlier yesterday it emerged that some women have had their Spend Local voucher applications declined because their birth certificate name doesn’t match their married one.
Lynne Atchinson from Bangor told The Stephen Nolan Show: “When I clicked on the email it said it’s because the name on my birth certificate is different from the name on my application. Of course it is – I’m married and that’s the whole reason why I sent them my marriage certificate to start with.”