AQW 47166/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 27/05/2026
Answered On Date: 04/06/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy for an update on when her Department plans to allocate the 2026-27 Winter Warmer scheme funding, to further education colleges.

Answer:

The Winter Warmer Scheme is a pilot scheme delivered by the six Further Education (FE) colleges, for which they have requested additional funding in each financial year since 2023/24 and which my Department has supported.

To date the Department has not received any funding request from the FE colleges in respect of the scheme for the 2026/27 financial year.

Should a request be submitted, it will be considered in the context of Executive budget decisions and the overall level of funding available to my Department.