Pandemic Unemployment Payments To Be Phased Out In The Autumn

The Pandemic Unemployment Payment is likely to be phased out starting in September or October.

Cabinet Ministers will meet this week to sign off on the National Economic Plan for recovery post-COVID.

It's expected the government will phase out the Pandemic Unemployment Payment over a number of months into early next year, starting in September or October.

Part of the thinking in government circles is people losing their jobs later this year won't be losing them because of the pandemic.

However, a push from some in government to increase the base rates of social welfare payments like jobseekers is expected.

It's also likely the wage subsidy scheme will be kept on longer than the pandemic payments as businesses get back on their feet.

The plan due to be approved by cabinet tomorrow will also set out targets for getting people back to work over the next few years, and increasing employment to pre-pandemic levels.