Press release
Minister Humphreys confirms that Pandemic Unemployment Payment Rates to remain in place until March 31st
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, TD, has announced that the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) will remain in place at its current rates until 31st March.
The proposal brought forward by Minister Humphreys was approved by Government this afternoon.
Minister Humphreys also issued a reminder today to any worker who loses their employment due to the Pandemic that the Department of Social Protection will support them.
The PUP remains open to new entrants and is paid at four rates - €203, €250, €300 and €350. The rate paid is linked to your prior earnings.
Speaking following today’s Cabinet meeting, Minister Humphreys said:
“From the very start of this Pandemic, the Government has endeavoured at all times to protect people who lost their employment through no fault of their own.
“I am pleased to confirm that the Government has today approved my proposal to keep the Pandemic Unemployment Payment at its current rates of payment until March 31st 2021.
“This clarity will help to avoid unnecessary anxiety and worry both for those workers already in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and also for those who will need to access it as a result of the latest restrictions announced today.
“When the Pandemic Unemployment Payment was introduced last March, it was intended to be in place for just a 12 week period.
“As we all know the virus has had a much longer lasting impact both in Ireland and globally that any of us initially anticipated.
“The decision by Government today means that the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will be extended at its current rates of payment until the end of March 2021, over a year after its introduction.
“Over €5 Billion has been paid out on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to date. While this is a huge sum of money it was absolutely the right thing to do in order to ensure that the incomes of hundreds of thousands of people have been protected during a period of unprecedented difficulty for our country.
“As always, my overriding message is that the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is there to support people who lose their employment. It remains open for new applications and the quickest and easiest way to apply is via www.MyWelfare.ie.”
This week, PUP payments valued at €99 million issued to 335,600 people.
Over €5 billion has been paid out in PUP to date since it was introduced in March last year.
Enhanced Illness Benefit is available to workers and the self-employed who have been diagnosed with the Covid-19 virus. The payment is paid in the following circumstances where a person aged between 18 and 66 cannot work and is:
1. diagnosed with COVID-19, or
2. self-isolating due to being a probable source of infection of COVID-19.
Such people will have been medically certified by their doctor, or will have been contacted by the HSE (where they are contact-traced or otherwise personally identified and advised by the HSE as being a probable source of infection).
The quickest and easiest way to apply for Enhanced Illness Benefit is online via www.MyWelfare.ie.
To apply for this payment a person just needs to have a basic MyGovID account. Full details are available here.
Ends.
There are currently 4 rates of PUP in payment with effect from 16 October 2020:
| Rates | Prior earnings | PUP rate | Recipients as 5 January |
| 1 | Under €200 | €203 JA Rate | 64,105 (19.1%) |
| 2 | €200 and €299.99 | €250 | 59,591 (17.8%) |
| 3 | €300 and €399.99 | €300 | 60,402 (18.0%) |
| 4 | €400 or more | €350 | 151,501 (45.1%) |