The highest level of pandemic unemployment pay will be reset to € 350 per week

THE HIGHEST BAND of Pandemic Unemployment Pay (PUP) will be reset to € 350 per week, it has been announced.

The payment went from two types of payment to three last month, when the maximum rate of € 350 was also reduced to € 300.

However, as part of the introduction of new Covid-19 restrictions, the upper band has been restored for those whose earnings were more than € 400 per week before the pandemic.

The new payment structure for the puppy It is as follows:

This change will apply to payments issued as of October 27 for all new and existing applicants.

The EWSS it is also being modified to align with the PUP amendment. This means that there will be five rates / pay bands as follows:

• 0 – € 151 = € 0
• € 151 <€ 203 = € 203
• € 203 <€ 300 = € 250
• € 300 <€ 400 = € 300
• € 400 <€ 1462 = € 350

This revised scheme will be in effect until the end of January 2021.

Figures released today show that the number of people in the state receiving the PUP increased by more than 15,000 in the past seven days, with 244,153 people now receiving the welfare payment.

The number of people in the payment has increased by 38,560 in the last two weeks, following the implementation of Level 3 measures throughout the country.

The number is likely to increase significantly as a result of the latest round of restrictions.

Last week, the Government also announced that the self-employed will be able to claim the PUP while still earning money through work, as part of the 2021 Budget.

The initial decision to lower the maximum PUP rate and switch bands was criticized at the time, and many whose livelihoods had been affected, such as those working in the arts, had no job prospects due to ongoing restrictions. .

With reporting by Christina Finn and Gráinne Ní Aodha.