Seán Sherlock
Question:368. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of a pandemic unemployment payment claim in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [60172/21]
View answerTuesday, 7 December 2021
Questions (368)
Written answers
The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is available for employees and self-employed people who have lost employment and satisfy the scheme's statutory conditions. Expenditure on PUP since its introduction last March 2020 has now exceeded €8.9 billion.
To satisfy the eligibility conditions for PUP, a person cannot be engaged in insurable employment. This applies to both employees and the self-employed. A self-employed person should close their PUP if they are engaged in PAYE insurable employment.
There is flexibility provided to the self-employed to take up and receive payment for occasional or intermittent self-employment work while retaining their PUP. This measure has assisted people to maintain their business during the pandemic and provides that a person can earn up to €960 from self-employment over a previous eight-week period.
The person concerned is self-employed and works in the construction sector. They were in receipt of the PUP from 20 March 2020 to 4 June 2020 and from 3 July 2020 to 4 November 2021. Following a recent review of their entitlement, it was decided that they were not entitled to payment for the period from 2 July 2021 to 4 November 2021 on the basis that their income from self-employment exceeded the threshold of €960 over an eight-week period. This decision resulted in an overpayment of €5,850.
The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision and the overpayment amount on 30 November 2021 and was also notified of their right to request a review of this decision.
The person concerned has been in contact with the Department regarding the matter. They have been requested to provide further information from their accountant including personal bank statements. When this information is received, my Department will be happy to examine the matter further. They may also appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO).
I trust that this clarifies matters for the Deputy.