PUP closes today with 44,747 applicants to receive final payment

The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is being issued today for the last time in two years.

The major social measure was introduced in March 2020 to support workers and the self-employed who have lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The PUP was initially intended as a short-term measure of only six weeks, but was extended several times and has cost the state coffers over two billion euros to date.

When it was first launched, the payment brought claimants €350 a week, but was later reduced to €208 when society started to reopen.

In the first week of the program (week ended March 22, 2020), there were 239,580 PUP recipients. Significant increases followed over the next two weeks and weekly increases brought the program 605,539 recipients for the week ended May 3, 2020.

It was closed to new recipients in January and today the last 44,747 applicants will receive the PUP.

Those who remain unable to work will switch to unemployment benefits if they are deemed eligible.

The program drew sharp criticism from business and industry groups as consumer activity began to rise and staff shortages impacted several industries, including hospitality and construction.