Coronavirus: NI students to receive £500 disruption payment

Students in Northern Ireland are to get a £500 payment from the Stormont Executive due to disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The scheme, from Economy Minister Diane Dodds, is part of a wider support package costing £37.7m.

It will be made to almost 40,000 students in universities and further education (FE) colleges across NI.

The executive met on Thursday morning and signed off proposals for the one-off payment.

The Department for the Economy said the payments would be made by the end of March.

The £37.7m package includes a pot of £10.4m for students facing financial hardship announced by Finance Minister Conor Murphy on Tuesday.

There is also support to address digital poverty, the provision of safe working, learning and research environments, as well as compensation for universities for a loss in income through rental pauses and releasing students from accommodation contracts.

The majority of students in universities and further education are taking their courses online due to the pandemic.

Many have lost, or have been unable to find, part-time work to supplement their income from student loans due to the range of businesses closed due to coronavirus restrictions.

Some are also still paying rent on accommodation they cannot live in due to the lockdown.

Mrs Dodds said she was "acutely aware" students have experienced significant disruption since the start of the pandemic.

"I am pleased to announce that I have secured £22m from the executive to fund a one-off discretionary payment of £500 to all students from the UK and EU who are in full time higher education in Northern Ireland, whether that is in a university or further education college setting," she explained.

Ellen Fearon, president of the student body NUS-USI, said it was a welcome announcement after a difficult year for students.

She said many had endured financial stress, isolation, academic pressures, housing problems, additional caring responsibilities and digital inequality.

"It's important that students who are not eligible for this grant, including part-time students and international students, are also financially supported," Ms Fearon added.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill has called for the payment to be extended to pupils from Northern Ireland who are studying in the Republic of Ireland or Great Britain.

SDLP Economy spokesperson Sinead McLaughlin said she was glad the department had adopted the proposal, first raised by her party.

"While £500 is not everything students deserve, it will provide some relief to the many who have been struggling," she said.

"There are still many issues outstanding, particularly how we support part-time students and those studying in Britain."

Queen's University President and Vice-Chancellor Prof Ian Greer said the measure will "bolster the range of interventions" already made by the university, including "pausing accommodation contracts".

Prof Paul Bartholomew, Vice-Chancellor at Ulster University, said the institution "will work closely with the department to distribute these additional funds to our students as soon as possible".