On June 5th, 2020 the Government approved the extension of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) until August 10th, 2020.
But the Government are also proposing making a change to the payment, creating two levels, which will link it to the recipients’ earnings before COVID-19 pandemic hit the country. This change will coincide with Phase 3 of the Roadmap, scheduled to start on June 29th.
So, for people who earned at least €200 per week before the crisis, their PUP will remain at €350 per week, which is equivalent to a Jobseeker’s main claimant’s personal payment and a Qualified Adult payment rounded up to the nearest €50.
But, for people whose prior earnings were up to €199.99 per week, their PUP rate will be reduced to €203 per week. This is equivalent to the main claimant’s personal payment on a Jobseeker’s payment.
On Jobseeker’s Benefit there are currently four levels to this payment depending on the recipient’s average weekly earnings. So, for anyone who could also claim for a Qualified Adult, they may be better off applying for a Jobseeker’s Benefit payment if they were earning more than €150 but less than €200. However, depending on the person’s circumstances they may in fact be better off applying for the means tested payment Jobseeker’s Allowance. Please contact the INOU’s Welfare Rights Information Team to discuss your options. The INOU’s telephone number is 01 856 0088.
There will also be an extension, until Phase 5 of the Roadmap, of the waiver of waiting days on Jobseeker's payments and the increased rate of payment for Qualified Adults, which was increased from €134.70 to €147, to bring it into line with the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
The Government also announced that the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) will remain in place until the end of August.