Service
COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
From Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Published at:
Last updated
The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is available to employees and the self-employed who have lost their job on or after 13 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. New applications for this payment will not be accepted after 17 September 2020.
You can apply for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment if you:
- are aged between 18 and 66 years old and
- are currently living in the Republic of Ireland and
- have lost your job due to the COVID-19 pandemic or
- have been temporarily laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic and
- worked in the Republic of Ireland or were a cross border frontier worker and
- are not in receipt of any employment income and
- are genuinely seeking work
- self-employed and your trading income has ceased due to COVID-19
- a non EU/EEA worker who has lost employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- a student (or a non-EU/EEA student) who has lost employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- living in Direct Provision and have lost employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- a part-time worker
You must inform the department if your circumstances change.
If you voluntarily left your employment or self-employment or do not meet the above criteria, you cannot claim the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
If you have been temporarily placed on a shorter working week, you may qualify for Short Time Work Support.
The department can confirm that there are no plans in place to share any data we receive as part of an immigrant’s application for a COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment with GNIB or the Department of Justice and Equality.
The Pandemic Unemployment Payment is currently paid at 2 rates - depending on the amount you used to get paid:
- if you earned €200 per week or more - the rate of the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is €350 per week
- if you earned less than €200 per week - you will receive €203 per week, which is the same as the primary rate of Jobseeker's Benefit
You do not need to contact the department about your earnings. The department has access to this information from the Revenue Commissioners.
The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is paid in arrears, with the payment week running from Friday to Thursday.
Payment is made by electronic transfer (for example, into your bank or credit union account) and only into accounts held in Irish financial institutions. You can also choose to collect your payment at a post office.
You can nominate your local post office when applying online and you will need to bring a form of ID with you when collecting your payment at the post office. Payments will be made into a bank or credit union account or to a nominated post office every Tuesday once an application is processed.
If you were working and were also in receipt of any social welfare payment such as a Carer's Payment, Working Family Payment (WFP) or One-Parent Family Payment, you can, provided you have lost your job due to COVID-19, also claim the COVID-19 emergency payment, in addition to retaining your existing welfare payment.
The COVID-19 Payment Unemployment Payment will replace your employment income and will be regarded by the department as equivalent to employment income.
If you have one adult and one or more dependant children, you should claim a Jobseeker's Payment instead of the COVID-19 Pandemic Payment.
This is because you can claim an additional allowance for your adult dependant and child dependants, which will bring your weekly payment to in excess of the €350 weekly payment due under the emergency COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
New applications for this payment will not be accepted after 17 September 2020.
The quickest and easiest way to apply for the emergency COVID-19 payment is online at mywelfare.ie.
All you need to apply for the payment is a basic MyGovID account. You do not need to make any appointments to apply - all you need is an email address and it only takes 2 minutes to sign up.
Once you've got the basic MyGovID account (or if you already have an existing MyGovID account), just click the button below to apply for this payment.
It is very important to fill in your bank details correctly - include your BIC and IBAN to avoid delays to your payments.
After you have applied, please keep checking your bank account as payment may issue before the department formally notifies you.
If you need information or further assistance please contact the DEASP Income Support Helpline below.
DEASP Income Support Helpline for COVID-19
Phone number:
Applying by post will more than likely result in your application taking longer to process. The quickest and easiest way to apply is online at mywelfare.ie.
To get a form and apply by post please click here.
If you have applied for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and have not received a payment, please read this important information notice.
You must stop your payment on your first day back to work.
Learn more about closing your claim.
If you have received a payment for COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and you were not entitled to it, you can find out how to refund the department here.
