The Ulster Unionist Party’s East Belfast MLA, Andy Allen MBE, has called on the Finance Minister to intervene to ensure that payments under the Localised Restrictions Support Scheme (LRSS) are issued now.
Andy Allen MLA said:
“I have been contacted by a number of businesses who are growing increasingly frustrated at a lack of urgency from the Department of Finance when it comes to issuing payments to businesses that have been required to close or severely limit operations at their premises.
“We are now four weeks into the current restrictions and many businesses who have contacted me are advising that despite applying through the scheme upon its opening, they have still not received the payments to which they are entitled under the Localised Restrictions Support Scheme.
“I know that some businesses have been told that it may take 5 weeks or more to process applications. The whole point of this scheme was to provide help for businesses whilst they were unable to trade. At this rate some businesses are only going to receive much needed funding when it is too late. The money is needed now. The speed at which this scheme is being administered falls well short of what is required and the Finance Minister needs to intervene as a matter of urgency to resolve this situation and get this money paid out now.”