Pandemic Unemployment Payment To Be Removed By February 2022 Share this article The Pandemic Unemployment Payment is to be entirely removed by February 2022. The wage support will be phased out in three stages starting in September under plans going to Cabinet. The government promised no cliff-edge end to these payments and instead it is more of a gentle slope. Last night the government party leaders agreed to end the Pandemic Unemployment Payment by February next year after a series of reductions in the value of the payment. 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.