Massive Christmas Bonus Increase for Those Receiving Pandemic Unemployment Pay, Even If You Have Returned to Work



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Those who were in pandemic unemployment pay but are returning to work this week will still receive the Christmas Bonus.

The Government has announced that they are making payments “on an exceptional basis” to people who will no longer be in PUPs.

There is also good news for those receiving unemployment benefits, as they will only have to sign for the last four months, instead of 15, to get the double blow next week.



01/12/20 Shoppers on Dublin’s Henry Street as the country reopens after the recent closure of Level Five (Image: Collins Photo Agency)

Government ministers have decided to get in a festive mood on the first day of December by spending cash.

Next Tuesday, the Department of Social Protection will pay double social benefits to 1.6 million people worth an additional 390 million euros in people’s pockets.

This will include people who are ending their pandemic unemployment payments (PUPs) this week and who return to work when businesses begin to reopen below level three.

The news was confirmed in a subsequent briefing to the Cabinet of the Government Press Secretaries.

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A spokesperson said: “The Christmas bonus will be received by 1.6 million people this year and this will be the largest of all time.

“Exceptionally, the bonus will also be paid to beneficiaries of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, provided they have received a PUP payment, continuous or not, for at least four months or 17 weeks since it was first introduced.”

They added: “As the PUP Pay Week runs from Friday to Thursday, anyone who receives PUP for any day of the period between Friday, November 27 and Thursday, December 3, will receive the Christmas Bonus payment as long as they also meet the 17-week requirement by Tuesday, December 8 ”.

The PUP was introduced by the government in March as an emergency response to the country that was locked in and hundreds of thousands of people lost their jobs.

It can be worth up to € 350 a week.



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