Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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45. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to extend the pandemic unemployment payment to persons over 66 years of age in the workforce; the estimated cost of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40073/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is a statutory scheme payable to people between the ages of 18 up to 66 which is consistent with other social protection schemes payable to people of working age who have lost their employment. Over €4.3 billion has been spent on PUP to date.

The estimated cost of extending PUP to people aged over 66 in the workforce is not available as the Department does not hold data on the number of such persons who have lost their employment as a result of the pandemic.

People aged 66 years and over are provided for through the contributory State pension or the non-contributory State means tested pension. A person aged over 66 who is in employment may retain their State pension and employment income.

If a person does not qualify for the maximum rate of State pension contributory they may qualify for an increased rate of State non-contributory pension, depending on their circumstances. People receiving the non-contributory State pension who also have employment income may have their pension payment increased if their income has changed.

People aged 66 and over may also be entitled to a range of ancillary supports which include free travel, fuel allowance, household benefits package for gas or electricity costs and living alone allowance. The fuel allowance and living alone allowance were both increased in Budget 2021 to €19.00 and €28.00 per week respectively.

A person of any age who is experiencing financial hardship may access assistance under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme.

I trust that this clarifies the position at this time.