Number receiving PUP falls below 150,000 for first time

The number of people receiving the special Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) has fallen below the 150,000 mark for the first time.

The Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, said on Tuesday that 149,436 people will receive the payment this week.

She said the number of people receiving the PUP was now at its lowest since the scheme was first introduced in March last year.

At its peak in April/May last year there were more than 600,000 people receiving the PUP.

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“We are seeing week-by-week reductions in the number of people receiving the pandemic unemployment payment – reflecting the steady progress we are making in rolling out the vaccination programme and the continued reopening of the economy,” the Minister said.

The 149,436 people receiving the PUP is in addition to the 184,213 people who were on the live register at the end of July.

The Department of Social Protection said on Tuesday that the largest reduction in recent days in the number of people receiving the PUP was seen in the accommodation and food sector.

It said the county with the highest number of people receiving the payment was Dublin, which stood at 56,900 recipients, followed by Cork (13,162) and Galway (7,900).

Under changes to the PUP scheme to be introduced by the Government, the top three weekly rates of the payment will reduce in September.

The Department of Social Protection said in relation to this: “The maximum weekly rate of €350 will reduce to €300. The current rate of €300 will reduce to €250 and the current rate of €250 will reduce to €203. The new payment rates will be reflected in payments received later in September.

“People on the €203 pandemic unemployment payment rate will transition to standard jobseekers terms. People who are receiving this rate of payment will be advised in the coming weeks on their options regarding standard jobseekers’ payments ie jobseeker’s benefit or jobseeker’s allowance. Payment of the pandemic unemployment payment will continue while jobseeker claims are being processed.”

It added: “Two further phases of rate changes are scheduled to take place from November 16th, 2021, and February 8th, 2022. As pandemic unemployment payment recipients go on to the €203 rate in each phase, they will be transitioned to standard jobseeker terms.”

The pandemic unemployment payment scheme has been closed to new claimants since July 8th this year.

The Department of Social Protection said that people who had lost their job since July 8th could apply for jobseeker’s benefit or jobseeker’s allowance in the normal way.

The Department of Social Protection said that students currently receiving the PUP who had it that they will be full-time students in the upcoming 2021/2022 academic year would receive their final payment on Tuesday, September 7th.