Dr Laura Bambrick: Flat-rate social welfare system is not working for workers

The experience of the pandemic has highlighted the need for the State’s social safety net to be strengthened for workers

The WHSmith retail outlet closed at Cork Airport during the pandemic. The relative generosity of the €350 emergency income supports for workers in response to Covid-19 has ignited public interest in our threadbare social safety net. Picture: Larry Cummins

This week the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will be cut by a further €50 as part of the gradual phasing out of the payment by February next year. 

Anyone who has not returned to work when their entitlement to the PUP ends and who meets the stricter qualifying conditions will transfer over to the ordinary €203 unemployment payment.