Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys has reassured Pandemic Unemployment Payment recipients that most will retain their entitlement to a Christmas bonus even if they return to work when public health restrictions are eased next week.
Over 1.6 million people currently receiving state benefits are set to receive a Christmas bonus payable in the week beginning 7 December, at a total cost to the Exchequer of €390m.
That includes over 311,000 Pandemic Unemployment Payment recipients - 90% of current PUP claimants - who will qualify for the bonus at a cost of around €93m.
To be eligible, they must have received the payment for at least 17 weeks (not necessarily on a continuous basis) since the scheme was launched last March, and