The Pandemic Unemployment Payment will see its first major reduction come into effect on Tuesday.
As revealed in the Government's plan for reopening which was published last month, the top two rates of the PUP will be slashed by €50 from today.
Furthermore, students are set to receive their final payment on Tuesday, as colleges and schools return for the new term.
Tuesday's initial reductions mean anyone currently receiving the €350 per week payment will see their allowance reduced to €300.
Anyone receiving the payment at the €300 per week rate will now receive €250.
While anyone who is currently getting €250 a week will see their allowance slashed down to €203 - the normal rate of jobseeker's allowance.
Two more PUP rate reductions will arrive in the next few months before the expected ending of the scheme in March of next year.
The next cut will come on November 16, before another in February 2022.
Figures from the Department of Social Welfare show that last week, 143,000 people received the PUP in some form.
This was a reduction of roughly 6,000 on the previous week.
Overall, around 900,000 people have received one PUP payment at a total cost to the State of around €8.6 billion.
Meanwhile, social welfare payments should be hiked by €10 a week so the most vulnerable aren’t left behind, a think-tank believes.
Social Justice Ireland said a boost in Budget 2022 would see the basic welfare rate rise to €213 per week and prevent increasing poverty.
The not-for-profit organisation urged the Government not to leave those on welfare behind “for a third successive Budget
