9,246 people across Carlow and Kilkenny still in receipt of PUP as Government plans to phase it out

The Pandemic Unemployment Payment is to be removed by February 2022.

The decision was made last night by government party leaders and plans going to Cabinet will see the rates of PUP cut in the middle of September, and again in mid-November, before it’s entirely phased out by February.

Rates will be cut by €50 a week for each group availing of it and the scheme will close to new applicants on July 1st with students no longer eligible from September when the new academic year begins.

125,000 people have come off PUP since the economy began to open up and the government expects this number to increase.

Latest figures show that 3,194 in Carlow and 6,052 in Kilkenny are in receipt of the support.