Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1055. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of existing recipients that sought a review of their rate of the pandemic unemployment payment; the number that received an increase to their rate of pandemic unemployment as a result of review following the changes to the payment whereby the scheme was reopened due to updated public health guidelines; if she will provide this data broken down by week from December 2021 to date in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2326/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was introduced as an emergency measure to provide an income support to those who had lost their employment as a result of Covid.  Initially, payment was made at a weekly rate of €350.

From 26 June 2020, the rate at which the PUP is paid was linked to the amount that individuals previously earned and made it more targeted and fairer. In determining the rate payable, the objective was to ensure that recent earnings were taken into account, with data supplied by the Revenue Commissioners used for this purpose.  This is consistent with the approach underpinning short-term income support schemes such as Jobseeker’s Benefit and Jobseeker’s Allowance. From 14 September 2021, the rate of payment is being aligned with the standard rate of Jobseeker’s Benefit as part of the transition of persons in receipt of PUP to standard jobseeker terms.

To date, over 870,000 people have received payment under the scheme at a cost of  €9 billion and over 28 million payments have issued.

The scheme closed to new entrants in July 2021. However, the Government has decided to reopen the scheme, for a limited period to support people who lose employment arising from the new public health restrictions introduced from 7 December 2021. Over 31,000 individuals have benefitted from this decision.

When the scheme re-opened to new entrants it did so on the basis of the rates structure which was in place on 7 September 2021, along with the addition of a new rate of €150 for individuals who previously earned less than €151.50. In addition, the reference periods on which previous earnings were calculated were expanded to include all employee earnings in 2020 and 2021 and all self-employment earnings in 2020. No person will be worse off as a result of these changes.

The necessary IT development work to implement the changes to the reference periods for previous earnings is underway and will be implemented in the coming weeks, at which time all new claims from 7 December 2021 will be reviewed to see if an adjustment to the current rate is required. There is no need for individuals to contact the Department in respect of this issue and any changes will be implemented automatically.

 To date approximately 400 people have sought a review of their rate of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment since the scheme re-opened on 7 December 2021; of these, 29 cases have resulted in an increase in the rate payable, and there are 5 cases on hands.

I trust that this clarifies matters for the Deputy.