Alliance Economy spokesperson Stewart Dickson MLA has expressed his shock after it was revealed around 22,500 people missed out on the High Street Voucher scheme.

The Department for the Economy has issued the 22,500 emails to verified applicants of the scheme, who may be entitled to a remedy payment after their card was not received, could not be activated, the full balance could not be spent for reasons outside the cardholder’s control or there was no verification due to the Department’s fault.

“The amount of people who have missed out thanks to issues beyond their control – 22,500 – is substantial and shocking,” said Mr Dickson.

“We are now relying on the Department for the Economy, whose issues led to so many people not receiving or being able to spend their vouchers in the first place, to administer these remedy payments, and its record has not been sterling throughout this episode.

“Now we need to hear how the Department will ensure people will get their money. The remedy payments are based on the Department emailing people but what about people unable to spend their vouchers who the Department don’t contact or had problems receiving emails from the Department originally?

“There remains many questions relating to the High Street Voucher scheme to which we have not received satisfactory answers.”