PUP Rates Changed Again from October 16th
From October 16th – a new PUP rate of €350 a week was re-introduced. This will be paid to anyone who was previously earning more than €400 a week.
Back on Sept 17th the €350 PUP flat weekly rate was reduced to €300 . This amount was due to be paid to those who were earning more than €300 per week before the pandemic. From Oct 16th – this PUP rate of €300 will be paid to people who were previously earning between €300 and €400 a week
Those who earned between €200 and €300 a week pre-Covid had their pandemic payment reduced to €250 a week. This stays the same from Oct 16th.Claimants who earned less than €200 per week prior to the pandemic are currently on PUP of €203 a week . This will remain at €203.
This change is effective from Friday 16 October, therefore payments made on Tuesday 27 October will include the new rate of €350 where applicable.
Making a New Claim
There will be thousands more people applying again for the PUP in October as the level 5 lockdown kicks in. Those who apply by 5 p.m. on Thursday, 22nd October will be paid into their bank account on Tuesday 27th October. Those who apply after that date will receive their first payment on Tuesday 3rd November.
The first payment is never backdated – Social Welfare always promised that backdating would be done at a later date. To the best of out knowledge no claimants ever got their backdating . So don’t delay getting that claim in. Online Claims Here
Summary of PUP Rates From October 16th 2020
| Previous Average weekly earnings | PUP Rate |
| Over €400 | €350 |
| €300 – €400 | €300 |
| €200 – €300 | €250 |
| Less than €200 | €203 |
Earnings Assessment
How previous earnings are assessed has changed from November 2020.
People who only started employment after February 2020 but have now been laid-off due to increased Covid restrictions can have their payment rate fixed by reference to their earnings in the period March to September 2020.
But anyone who was in employment before February 2020 but whose earnings have reduced in the period since February can still have their PUP payment rate set by reference to their earlier, higher, earnings.
Self-employed earnings will continue to be based on the best of a person’s 2018 or 2019 earnings. Any earnings a person may have received as an employee during 2019 will also be considered and added to their self-employment earnings for the purpose of setting the appropriate PUP payment rate.
PUP Rates From February 2021
From February 2021, those who previously earned over €300 a week will move from a PUP of €350 to €250 a week
Those who earned between €200-€300 a week pre-pandemic will move from the €250 Pandemic Unemployment Payment rate to Jobseekers’ Benefit of €203.
From July 1st 2021
Finally, from 1 July 2021, all remaining PUP claimants will be told to apply for Jobseekers’ Allowance. The PUP scheme will be closed.
It was announced on Feb 26th that the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) will be extended again . It was previously due to end on March 31st – it will now run until June 30th 2021.
More About The Pandemic Unemployment Payment
Employment Wage Support Scheme
Also the Employment Wage Support Scheme will also be extended until the end of June 2021.
The Employment Wage Support Scheme will pay businesses, whose turnover has fallen below 30pc, a subsidy of €205 per month per employee.