PUP earnings threshold increased for self-employed
Self-employed people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) will be able to earn €960 over eight weeks while also retaining their full entitlement to the payment following a change to the rules.
The Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, said she was doubling the threshold from the current €480 over four weeks immediately to assist those who are trying to restart their businesses.
“I don’t want to see people turning down work for fear that it might impact their Pandemic Unemployment Payment,” the minister said.
“I am happy to make this change and I want to acknowledge the constructive engagement from the Music and Entertainment Association of Ireland in relation to this matter and also my colleagues on the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development.”
The new measure is designed to help a self-employed person to take on intermittent jobs or one-off “gigs” without losing their entitlement to PUP.
According to the department, the decision will particularly help people in arts and entertainment who get occasional work.
Taxi drivers, tradesmen and other self-employed workers will also potentially benefit.
In order to qualify all a self-employed recipient needs to do is tell the department if they earn more than €960 in any eight-week period.
“We all hope with the vaccine coming on stream that we will get back to some level of normality in 2021 and we want to see our musicians and artists back performing as much as possible,” the minister said.
“In the meantime this will provide them with greater flexibility to take up occasional gigs while knowing that the safety net of the PUP is still there for them.”
Article Source: PUP earnings threshold increased for self-employed – RTE – Will Goodbody
