Pandemic Unemployment Payment: The deadline has been extended to March 31, 2021

Heather Humphreys, Minister of Social Welfare, has announced that the term of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) announced in Ireland in the wake of the Covid epidemic has been extended to March 31, 2021.

The scheme was due to close to new entrants on 31 December.

The minister said the PUP has been extended till March next year for businesses in the retail and hospitality sectors.

At the same time, officials are worried that if he can return to work in December, he will not receive the PUP next year if needed.

Heather said the deadline was extended to provide relief to people in the wake of the Covid epidemic, and that he didn’t think that people won’t go to work because they get PUP.

More than 145,000 people in the country have benefited from the PUP since the Level 5 regulations came into effect in October. PUPs were mostly used by retailers, hospitality and personal services during this period.

Meanwhile, the Restaurant Association of Ireland has also come out with a demand for an extension of the PUP.

The Minister said that people are worried that the retail sector may have to close in January, even if they can get jobs in December.

At the same time, so far 4.3 billion euros have been disbursed as part of the PUP. This week alone, 104 million euros were distributed to 350,000 people.