Press release
Update on payments awarded for COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment And Jobseeker Payments
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
On Friday 27 March 2020, payments were issued in respect of 283,000 people who were awarded payment of the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
These payments are in addition to the 201,000 people in receipt of standard jobseeker payments as of Friday 27 March (an increase of 19,000 on the figure at the end of February).
As of Sunday night, almost 20,500 employers have registered for the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme. Revenue generated the first tranche of refunds to employers under the new scheme last Friday and these payments will be in the bank accounts of the majority of those respective employers today(30 March).
All payments issued on Friday will be in customers’ bank accounts or at their local post office from Tuesday 31 March. The level of payments reflects the unprecedented demand for the department’s income supports over the past two weeks.
COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
In total (since launch on 16 March 2020), the department received and processed 389,000 applications for the COVID-19 Unemployment Payment. This is equivalent to a 19 month claim-load in two weeks.
A significant number of duplicate applications – over 66,000 - were received. Excluding these duplicates, 88% of claims received were put into payment. All of these payments will be paid into customers’ bank accounts on Tuesday 31 March.
However, some payments were withheld for various reasons.
Of these approximately 15,000 did not meet eligibility criteria (for example they were not previously in employment, they were under 18 years of age or they were still in employment). A further 8,700 had invalid PPSNs and 6,600 had invalid IBANs.
The department is working very hard to resolve any issues, such as invalid IBANs or PPSNs, with legitimate applications and is contacting the people concerned directly over the next few days.
As we will be contacting the people concerned directly we ask, if at all possible, for affected customers to only contact us if absolutely necessary. All of the department’s phone lines are extremely busy and it is important that they are available to help people with an immediate and urgent need for assistance. People with an immediate and urgent need should call 01-248-1398 or 1890 800 024. We will do our best to respond as quickly as possible.
We also ask that people take care when submitting applications to ensure that critical information such as dates of birth, PPSN and IBANs are entered correctly. An IBAN has 22 characters and people should take care that it is entered correctly.
Finally we ask that people submit their applications online via www.mywelfare.ie. The large volume of duplicate applications has consumed a significant amount of staff time and is delaying both the processing of legitimate claims and the contacting of people who have submitted incomplete or incorrect claims.
MyWelfare: Quick and Easy Online Application Process for Everyone
Since 13 March the department has developed new online solutions to help make applications for COVID-19 related payments as easy as possible.
The department’s online portal MyWelfare.ie is by far the easiest and quickest way to make an application. All a person needs is their email address, PPSN and bank account details.
Now on MyWelfare.ie any person can:
People who have a verified MyGovID account (this requires a PSC and a verified mobile phone) can also change their payment method (for example, from a bank to a post office or vice versa).
It is relatively easy for a person with a PSC to upgrade to a verified MyGovID account by calling 1890 927 999.
The department kindly requests all customers who need an emergency COVID-19 Unemployment payment, a Jobseeker’s payment or the enhanced COVID-19 Illness Benefit to please apply via MyWelfare.ie.
In the interests of the public health advice and the restrictions on movements please if at all possible do not attend your local Intreo Centre and instead apply through MyWelfare.ie.
ENDS
COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is an emergency payment for employees and the self-employed who have lost their income and are fully unemployed due to the pandemic. It is paid at a rate of €350 per week into a customer’s bank account. The quickest and easiest way for everyone to apply for this emergency payment is online at MyWelfare.ie.
Jobseeker’s Payments
Those individuals who have an adult dependent and at least one child, or if they are single and have four or more children, after applying for the emergency payment should also apply for a Jobseeker’s payment to receive their full social welfare entitlements. The quickest and easiest way for everyone to apply for a Jobseeker’s payment is online at MyWelfare.ie.
Enhanced Illness Benefit for COVID-19 Cases
The government introduced an enhanced Illness Benefit payment for all cases where individuals have been medically certified to self-isolate or have been diagnosed with COVID-19. It is paid at a rate of €350 per week. Please note that it is not possible to be paid a COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and the enhanced Illness Benefit payment concurrently. If you have lost your employment or are diagnosed with COVID-19 and you apply for income support you will be paid €350 per week from the department.
The quickest and easiest way for everyone to apply for this emergency payment is online at MyWelfare.ie.
Change of Payment Method
The department has introduced for those customers who have a verified account a change of payment method request available through MyWelfare.ie. A verified account requires the person's identity to be verified to SAFE registration level (these customers will have a Public Services Card (PSC)) and their mobile phone also needs to be verified.
Please be aware that the department has temporarily postponed the SAFE registration process for new applicants but those who already have a PSC can verify their mobile phone by calling the department at 1890 927 999.
*Employer Refund Scheme
The Employer Refund Scheme has been replaced by the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme operated by the Revenue Commissioners. Information on the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme is available at Revenue.ie.