COVID-19 pandemic unemployment payment

21 Oct 2020

Who is it available to?

Employees who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19
Individuals who are self-employed and their trading income has ceased or reduced due to Covid-19 to an extent that they are available to take up full-time employment and are not in receipt of employment income and are genuinely seeking work.

Following the announcement by the Government on Monday 19 October 2020 that the entire country will move to Level 5 of the Government’s “Living with Covid” programme, the Pandemic Unemployment Payment structure will be revised as follows;

Prior Weekly Gross Earning	PUP Payment (17 September – 16 October)	PUP Payment (effective from 16 October* until 31 January 2021)
Less than €200	€203	€203
From €200 to €300	€250	€250
From €300 to €400	€300	€300
More than €400	€300	€350

*The new rates are effective for all new applications received since 16 October 2020 and payments made from 27 October will include the new rates.

The government announced that there will be further changes to rates on 1 February 2021 and 1 April 2021.

If an individual is already in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, he/she does not need to do anything. The next payment will be paid at the increased rate. However, individuals seeking to claim the PUP for the first time or who had returned to work but now lost their employment due to the pandemic,should apply to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.

The payment also applies to;