FURTHER financial assistance for taxi drivers has been approved by the Executive.
A new scheme will help those who did not meet previous criteria because they had paused insurance cover.
It will also assist all drivers who lost business from October until the end of this financial year.
Around half of taxi drivers in the north failed to apply for a previous emergency grant.
Drivers who benefited from the first £1,500 scheme will be eligible to apply for a further £1,500 towards unavoidable overhead costs caused by the pandemic.
Infrastructure minister Nichola Mallon said the new scheme would help drivers who can show partial, as well as continuous, insurance cover.
"I understand why some of these drivers changed their insurance so they could save money when they could not get any work," she said.
"I have always been focused on helping those in need and that is why the second scheme will provide a payment to them based on the period of time that registered drivers had the relevant insurance to drive a taxi."
