All NI ag students to receive £500 Covid disruption payment

Every student from the UK or EU enrolled on a full-time higher education course in Northern Ireland will receive a £500 Covid disruption payment.

This includes more than 300 students at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), who will be given the money in recognition of the effects of the pandemic.

In total, it is estimated that 39,900 students are eligible.

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The payments will be issued by the higher education institutions and further education colleges by the end of March.

Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs minister Gordon Lyons welcomed the news and said CAFRE had worked hard to ensure the safety of its staff and students since the pandemic began, including moving a significant proportion of its learning online.

“This has been a stressful time for many of our students and this payment will go some way to recognising the disruption and uncertainty that many have faced over the past year,” Mr Lyons said.

“CAFRE is celebrated throughout the wider agri-food industry for turning out highly skilled graduates who are job ready.

“It is therefore vitally important that we continue to support our students in their education and training and recognise their future contribution to Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector.”

The payment is part of a wider support package announced by economy minister Diane Dodds which includes:

• £8.5m to address student financial hardship and digital poverty, and to support student unions with mental health provision
• £4.1m for the provision of a safe working, learning and research environment
• £3.1m to compensate universities for lost income arising from rental pauses and releasing students from accommodation contracts.

Ms Dodds said: “These additional resources will help higher education institutions, including CAFRE, target financial support at those students who are most in need.

“I have listened to the many concerns raised with me by students, their representative bodies, family members, educators and institutions and will continue to do all I can to help them regain the learning experience they deserve.”