Self-employed workers – including musicians, taxi drivers and electricians – can now earn up to €960 from their jobs over two months without being stopped from claiming the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).
The Government has announced a set of changes that it says will allow self-employed people – particularly artists – to work odd jobs or "one-off gigs" without the risk that they'll lose out on access to the PUP.
Previously, self-employed workers could earn up to €480 a month before they forfeited the PUP.
The update – which comes after discussions with the Arts sector – doesn't change the financial amount self-employed people can earn, but it does they can now take on jobs worth €500 or more without losing out on the PUP.
There's no formal application process – if you're one of those who's self-employed, you just need to let the Government know if you earn €960 from different jobs over a two-month period.
The Minister for Social Protection said she hopes the move will be "warmly welcomed by our taxi drivers, musicians, electricians, plumbers and other self-employed workers across the country."
Heather Humphries added in a statement: "I don't want to see people turning down work for fear that it might impact their Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
"I am happy to make this change and I want to acknowledge the constructive engagement from the Music and Entertainment Association of Ireland in relation to this matter and also my colleagues on the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development.
"We all hope with the vaccine coming on stream that we will get back to some level of normality in 2021 and we want to see our musicians and artists back performing as much as possible.
"In the meantime this will provide them with greater flexibility to take up occasional gigs while knowing that the safety net of the PUP is still there for them.
"That’s important because when you’re a musician, you could have a gig one week and then maybe nothing for the next four weeks so I hope this change to €960 will be of particular help to our workers in the arts and entertainment sector.
"The change will also increase the flexibility and make life a little easier for our taxi drivers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, beauticians and other self-employed workers across the country."
