The Department of Social Protection has reminded the public that changes to the pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) will be introduced in September.
Starting from next month, the PUP will be gradually reduced over a six month period until February 2022 to align it with the standard jobseekers' payments.
This transition will start in September and it's in line with the government’s National Economic Recovery Plan.
In recent weeks, the structure and pay scale of the PUP has undergone some changes because the financial aid has been closed to new claimants since July 8.
If anyone has lost their job since that date, they can apply for Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker's Allowance in the normal way.
However, the government has said that any students that are currently receiving the PUP who have advised the department that they are or will be full-time students in the upcoming 2021/2022 academic year, will receive their final payment on Tuesday, 7 September.
As for the rates of pay that the PUP will provide, the top three rates of PUP will reduce by €50 in September.
In a statement released by the Department of Social Protection, they said: "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 on Tuesday 14 September.
"People on the €203 PUP 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, that is, Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance. Payment of PUP will continue while jobseeker claims are being processed.
"Two further phases of rate changes are scheduled to take place from 16 November 2021 and 8 February 2022. As PUP recipients go on to the €203 rate in each phase, they will be transitioned to standard jobseeker terms."
In terms of the most recent payments, o ver 157,000 people received the PUP this week.
The county with the highest number of people receiving PUP is Dublin which stands at 59,480. It is followed by Cork (14,025) and Galway (8,363).
The Department has also reminded anyone that's returning to work that they must close their PUP claim on the actual date that they start back at work, in order to ensure that their claim is processed correctly and to avoid incurring an overpayment that the department will take steps to recover.
