£400 million reserve claim allocation agreed for NI coffers
£400 million reserve claim funding to support departments and public services has been secured. It may sound like a lot but how much of its benefits trickles down to County Down will remain to be seen.
Minister John O’Dowd said: “Following intense negotiations and recognition of the significant financial challenges faced by Executive, the Treasury has agreed to provide a reserve claim of £400 million for 2025/26 which will be repaid over three years.
“The Executive remains committed to safeguarding public services, and this approach will allow us to spread costs over a longer period, reducing pressure on those services.
“While this flexibility is welcome, it does not cover the full forecast overspend. We must therefore continue to reduce the overspend, and I remain committed to working with Ministerial colleagues to manage the remaining pressures.”
The £400 million secured through the reserve claim will be allocated to these departments on a pro-rata basis, reflecting their remaining forecast overspends.
- Department of Education – £214.6 million
- Department of Health – £185.4 million
The Minister added: “The Executive is committed to meaningful reform of how public services are designed and delivered.
“I am keen to ensure that the level of funding provided to the Executive meets the growing demand for public services here.
“I will continue to engage with the Treasury on the three-year budget and a proper funding model for the Executive.”
The Written Ministerial statement is available at https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/publications/written-ministerial-statement-public-expenditure-2025-26-reserve-claim
