Wage and income supports extended
by Bernard Harbor
 
Over 520,900 employees have received at least one payment under the scheme, with over 59,000 employers now registered.
Over 520,900 employees have received at least one payment under the scheme, with over 59,000 employers now registered.

The Government has extended the Covid-19 temporary wage subsidy scheme until the end of August. In an announcement last Friday (5th June), it also said the €350 weekly pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) would stay in place until 10th August.

 

But a lower PUP payment of €203 a week – the standard Jobseekers’ Benefit rate – is to be introduced for those who previously earned less than €200 a week. This will affect about a quarter of those currently receiving the payment.

 

Social protection minister Regina Doherty claimed that no one on the new lower PUP rate would receive less than they were previously paid by their employer.

 

The Government said it had decided to extend the wage subsidy scheme because many businesses would be impacted by public health restrictions for some months to come.

 

Over 520,900 employees have received at least one payment under the scheme, with over 59,000 employers now registered. The cumulative value of payments made to employers – and passed on to staff – under the scheme is now over €1.4 billion.

 

A massive 545,000 people are currently receiving the PUP, though this is down from over 600,000 at its peak. Almost €2 billion has been distributed under the scheme.

 

 

 

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