Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 July 2021
434. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the issue of family carers who are in receipt of the lowest level of the pandemic unemployment payment who will cease to receive the payment from 7 September 2021 and will be unable to apply for jobseeker's allowance despite not having returned to their part-time work yet; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37161/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe PUP was introduced as an exceptional measure for employees and the self- employed who lost employment as a direct consequence of Covid-19.
This week just over 211,000 people received the PUP, representing a drop of over 270,000 from a peak of 482,000 recipients in February this year. As more and more people return to work every week due to the gradual lifting of restrictions and continued progress on the roll out of vaccines, the requirement for emergency measures is diminishing. As the economy re-opens, it is important to transition from emergency pandemic supports to standard social welfare supports.
To allow as much time as possible for the economy to recover and employments to reopen, there will be no change to the PUP rate until 7th September when it will be gradually reduced on a tapered basis, over a 6 month period until February 2022, back to jobseekers terms.
As PUP recipients go on to the €203 rate during this period they will be transitioned to standard jobseeker terms with the normal eligibility criteria for jobseekers applied. In the case of those in receipt of another weekly social welfare payment, including carers, they will be contacted by the Department in September and, where they do not return to employment, will transition from PUP.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
