Eligibility Error – Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Are you facing any issues in confirming your eligibility on MyWelfare.ie?

The Department of Social Protection has just issued a notice for all recipients of Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) to re-confirm their eligibility on their website, MyWelfare.ie. All 439,000 recipients are being asked to fill in their personal and employment details which should supposedly take only ‘5 minutes’.

However, many people are reportedly having technical issues with the confirmation page, unable to progress further. The Department has raised a ticket for this issue to be looked into. More information to follow.

The government also advised people not to contact their local intreo as there has been an increase in call volume. The daily briefing details that there is no need for people to report their earning as the Department has access to information from Revenue Commissioners.

Should you be concerned?

For those who have been receiving PUP, this is not an alarm. There is no change in the criteria. The eligibility re-confirmation is put in place in order to ascertain the payment is being given to the right people who are still unemployed and in need.

The Department is giving until 13 July for people to get their eligibility re-assessed. Those still eligible for the payment will continue to receive PUP until 10 August when the payment is due to expire.

What is changing?

As for students who were previously earning less than €200 before 13 March, they will get €203 starting from 7 July. The amount is equal to Jobseeker’s Benefit rate. Those who were earning more than €200 will continue to receive €350, which is 75% of all recipients.

Criteria for eligibility

The criteria for eligibility remains the same. You must:

• have lost your job (permanently or temporarily) due to the pandemic
• be between the ages of 18-66 years old
• currently living in Ireland
• are not a recipient of any other employment income

You can also be a non-EU/EEA national to qualify for this payment.

To find more information about Irish government services, read this.