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VERY IMPORTANT PUP Update - I am now aware of one PUP recipient who has been put back to the higher rate. They were originally pushed to the lower rate despite having self-employed earnings in 2018 above €200 per week. (€10,400 in the year). @welfare_ie 1/N
They appealed via the email address [email protected] on 7th July including their 2018 income tax return (Form 11) showing more than €10,400 self-employed income and saying they feel they should be on the higher rate based on this. @welfare_ie 2/N
They received an email response on 10th July to say that they had been identified as an employee due to PAYE earnings in 2019 and that their average weekly rate was based on this much lower amount. @welfare_ie 3/N
The email ended with "I regret that there is not a more favourable review outcome for you." @welfare_ie 4/N
They contacted their local TD on 10th July - who emailed @welfare_ie a couple of times. The TD received responses explaining the rules or directing the PUP recipient to Revenue to determine their employment status. This wasn’t getting TD/PUP recipient anywhere. @welfare_ie 5/N
But the TD also asked about their case in a Parliamentary Question. The TD received a response via Letter from Welfare on 17 July which read as follows: 6/N
“I refer to PQ ref. XXXX/XX which you raised on behalf of XXXXXXXXX regarding the rate of Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Following a review of XXXXXXX’s record, I am pleased to inform you that xx PUP has been re-rated back to €350 per week. 7/N
Any arrears due will issue next week. Apologies for the delay in responding to XXXXXX’s enquiry, however the Department is dealing with a large number of review requests at this time. If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact me.” @welfare_ie 8/N
I have verified all documentation referred to above, including the email (with letter attached) from @welfare_ie to the TD on foot of the TD’s parliamentary question. 9/N
The email says “I would be very grateful if you can advise if you are in a position to withdraw the Question on the basis of the answer provided or if you wish to receive a formal answer to the Question.” @welfare_ie 10/N
So there is precedent of a review of this absurd situation where any amount of PAYE income in 2019/2020 classifies a PUP recipient as an Employee rather than basing it on the often more substantial self-employed income in 2018. @welfare_ie 11/N
I have to give the benefit of the doubt to @welfare_ie that contacting a TD is not the only way to have the rate reviewed upwards in this unfair situation.I look forward to seeing what happens next for the many people who have contacted me about their rate review @welfare_ie 12/N
Please share the above widely @welfare_ie Also-please support artists&arts workers at this very shitty, scary, uncertain,unprecedented, things-were-bad-enough-already-don't-talk-to-me time.Go to see shows when they come back. Buy gift cards Pay for music and films. All that. 13/N
