UK government has announced the release of £102.6 million to support the transformation of public services in Northern Ireland, marking the final tranche of a £235 million funding package agreed as part of the 2024 Executive restoration deal.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, confirmed the allocation, describing it as a key milestone in efforts to modernise service delivery across the region.
The funding will support six major Executive-led projects spanning health, agriculture, communities, and finance, with a strong focus on digital reform and efficiency improvements.
According to Secretary of State Hilary Benn, “this £102.6 million investment is a significant milestone for Northern Ireland, and a clear signal of this Government’s commitment to supporting the Executive to deliver better public services for the people of Northern Ireland.”
“At the heart of this funding is a simple goal: making public services work better for the people who rely on them every day. The full allocation of the £235m transformation fund is supporting the framework to transform service delivery for the long term.”
Hilary Benn
According to the government, the reform is expected to significantly modernise healthcare delivery by eliminating the need for more than 45 million paper prescriptions processed annually. The shift to digital systems is intended to speed up service delivery, reduce errors, and improve efficiency across the primary care network.
Matthew Patrick, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office, stated, “we promised to work with the Executive to transform public services, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
“From transforming access to prescription services, to giving children and families the support they need to thrive – this Government is funding real change for people in Northern Ireland.”
Matthew Patrick
He added, “I am also proud that this Government has been able to secure the largest ever devolution settlement for Northern Ireland, and an additional £750m in Barnett consequentials through the Budget and Spring Statement.”
“These funding streams, alongside the transformation fund, provide the opportunity for the Executive to deliver the changes that public services need to ensure that they work for the people of Northern Ireland.”
Matthew Patrick
The £102.6 million allocation represents the final stage of the wider £235 million transformation fund, which was established by the UK Government as part of the package to restore the Northern Ireland Executive in 2024.
£102.6m Boost to Drive Six Major Public Service Reforms in Northern Ireland
The £102.6 million funding package released by UK Government will support six major transformation projects across Northern Ireland, following recommendations from the Public Sector Transformation Board.
The Board, which brings together officials from the Northern Ireland Civil Service and UK Government and is supported by independent experts, advises the Finance Minister on how to allocate the £235 million ringfenced transformation fund. The latest allocation represents the final tranche of that wider package, which forms part of the £3.3 billion Executive restoration agreement for Northern Ireland.
The investment is aimed at modernising public services, improving efficiency and strengthening the delivery of healthcare, employment support and digital government services across the region.
The largest share, £42 million, will fund the ePharmacy Primary Care Digital Reform Programme. The project will introduce electronic prescription transfers and a new digital platform for community pharmacy clinical services, enabling faster access to treatment and bringing care closer to patients’ homes.
A further £29.2 million will go to the Together for Families project, a partnership between the Department of Health, The National Lottery Community Fund and the voluntary and community sector.
The initiative will establish a region-wide tiered early help model designed to ensure families receive timely and appropriate support. The National Lottery Community Fund will also contribute an additional £30 million, marking its first strategic investment of this kind in Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, £16 million has been allocated to the Pathway to Work and Wellbeing programme, which aims to better integrate health and employment services to support people into sustainable work.
Other funding includes £6 million for the Digital Workplace programme to modernise Civil Service records and reduce administrative duplication, £4 million for a bovine tuberculosis research pilot under the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, and £5.3 million for the NISRA Data Linkage programme to improve evidence-based policymaking through secure cross-departmental data use.
According to the government, the six projects are designed to deliver long-term improvements in public service delivery and ensure more efficient, responsive government services across Northern Ireland.
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