Galway-Roscommon TD Claire Kerrane has called on Minister Humphreys to urgently address an issue with the transition from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) to Jobseekers.
She says that the issue relates to people who had been on the Working Family Payment (WFP) being unfairly denied the payment without any warning.
Those who had been in receipt of the WFP alongside the PUP lost their entitlement to the WFP on applying for Jobseekers, the Sinn Féin TD said.
“Those on the lowest rate of PUP of €203 were required to apply for either Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit by October 21 and on applying, rather than continuing to receive the PUP and the Working Family Payment until the transition, they immediately lost the Working Family Payment,” said Deputy Kerrane.
“Whilst they cannot receive Jobseekers payments and the Working Family Payment, recipients should continue to get the Working Family Payment with the PUP while remaining on the PUP and before moving to Jobseekers.
“It appears that the Minister and her Department did not provide appropriate arrangements to ensure this would be avoided.
“This situation is unnecessary and avoidable, considering there has been ample time to ensure a smooth transition from PUP to Jobseekers payments.”
Deputy Kerrane said that instead, families who rely on the Working Family Payment had an important source of income removed without any prior notice and before they moved onto Jobseekers.
“This is an important welfare payment and will be plunging families into financial difficulty without any warning. This will put huge pressure on the families affected and must be resolved urgently,” said the Roscommon-Galway TD.
