The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is a payment of €350 per week. It is available to employees and the self-employed who have lost their job on (or after) March 13 due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment will be in place for the duration of the crisis.

If you have been temporarily placed on a shorter working week, you may qualify for Short Time Work Support.

How to qualify

If you are an employee and have:

The payment also applies to:

If you voluntarily left your employment or self-employment or do not meet the above criteria, you cannot claim the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Rate of payment

If you have already applied before 24 March or are already in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment you do not need to do anything. Your next payment will be paid at the increased rate.

Payment is made by electronic transfer only (into your bank account) and only into accounts held in Irish financial institutions. It will be paid in to your bank account every Tuesday once your application is processed.

If you were working and were also in receipt of any social welfare payment such as a Carer's Payment, Working Family Payment (WFP) or One-Parent Family Payment, you can, provided you have lost your job due to COVID-19, also claim the COVID-19 emergency payment, in addition to retaining your existing welfare payment. The COVID-19 Payment Unemployment Payment will replace your employment income and will be regarded by the department as equivalent to employment income.

If you have one adult and one or more dependant children you should claim a Jobseeker's Payment instead of the COVID-19 Pandemic Payment.

This is because you can claim an additional allowance for your adult dependant and child dependants, which will bring your weekly payment to in excess of the €350 weekly payment due under the emergency COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment.

Apply

All you need is your email to set up a basic MyGovID account which then allows you to apply online.

Apply by post

Fill out the following application form:

Send the completed application form by Freepost to: Freepost, PO Box 12896, Dublin 1

After you have applied, please keep checking your bank account as payment may issue before the department formally notifies you.

To help us to process all payments as quickly as possible, we would kindly ask you not to phone the department seeking updates on your application as staff will be focusing on processing applications. Thank you for your cooperation.