COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP)

The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) has ended following the reopening of workplaces.

PUP was open to you if you were an employee or self-employed and lost your job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The scheme closed to new applicants on 22 January 2022.

From 22 January 2022 the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment closed to new applicants. You can no longer apply for this payment.

You were eligible for this payment if you:

• were aged between 18 and 66 years old and
• were living in the Republic of Ireland and
• lost your job on or after 7 December 2021 due to the COVID-19 restrictions introduced on that date or
• were temporarily laid off on or after 7 December 2021 due to the COVID-19 restrictions introduced on that date or
• were self-employed and your trading income ceased or reduced on or after 7 December 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions introduced on that date (you had to be available to take up full-time employment) and
• were not in receipt of any income from an employer and
• were genuinely seeking work

You also could qualify for this payment if you:

• worked in the Republic of Ireland or were a cross border frontier worker or
• are a non-EU/EEA worker who lost employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic or
• were a student (or a non-EU/EEA student) who lost employment due to the new restrictions introduced on 7 December 2021 or
• were living in Direct Provision and lost employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic

You could not qualify for this payment if you:

• voluntarily left your employment or self-employment
• did not meet the above criteria

You also had to Item was unpublished or removed if your circumstances changed.

Rates of payment for people who lost their jobs after 7 December 2021

Please note: if you received a PUP payment, the process of moving to standard jobseeker's terms began on 25 March. PUP was paid up to and including 29 March.

Rates of payment for people who lost their jobs before July 7 2021

Please note: if you received a PUP payment, the process of moving to standard jobseeker's terms began on 25 March. PUP was paid up to and including 29 March.

Read more about the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment rates.

This payment closed to new applicants on 22 January and you can no longer apply.

If you have received a payment for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and you were not entitled to it, you can refund the department in several different ways.

How to repay COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments

If you need information or further assistance, please contact: