I propose to take Questions Nos. 693, 695, 777 and 779 together.
The COVID-19 pandemic unemployment payment was introduced as a time limited emergency measure in response to the pandemic and which has been extended to 10th August. A two level payment structure has been introduced to link the pandemic unemployment payment level to prior earnings.
If a recipient’s gross weekly earnings were €200 or higher then there is no change to their rate of payment. If a person’s gross weekly earnings were under €200 then the rate of the pandemic unemployment payment has been adjusted to €203 per week which is in line with the standard personal rate of jobseeker's benefit. The majority of recipients, approximately 75%, have not been impacted by this change in rate.
Where a person is self-employed their average weekly income for 2018 was used to determine their rate of payment which is the last tax year for which complete data on self-employed income is available.
Any person who feels that the assessment of their earnings, based on returns already submitted to Revenue, is inaccurate can ask for a review of their case with further details available on www.gov.ie.
Where a persons rate is reduced to the flat rate €203 per week and their family circumstances are that they have adult or child dependents in their household it may be more financially beneficial to apply for a jobseekers payment.
A self-employed person who is continuing to operate their business at a reduced level may be eligible for support under the means tested jobseekers allowance scheme.
There are a range of supports available to employers from other Government Departments including the Department of Business, Department of Children and the Revenue Commissioners. Information on these supports is available gov.ie. My Department also recently announced the extension of the Enterprise Support Grant which will be made available to small business owners who transition from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to re-open the business. The grant, of up to €1,000, will be payable to self-employed micro enterprises which employ fewer than 10 people, have an annual turnover of less than €1 million and are not eligible for support from the COVID 19 Business Restart Grant or other similar business reopening grants. The Department is developing the systems to put it into effect and will communicate how to access the grant in the coming weeks.
I trust that this clarifies the matter.