Today, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection issued payments valued at €174.6m to 498,700 people in respect of their application for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). Taking the 517,600 who were paid last week, this represents a decrease of 18,900 on the number of people paid last week.
Since last week’s payment, 33,000 people have closed their claim for a Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Of these, 21,900 will be receiving their last payment tomorrow.
As well as those availing of the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, there are now over 60,600 employers who have registered with the Revenue Commissioners for the Temporary Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) with at least one subsidy being paid in respect of over 532,000 people under that scheme since it began. An estimated 400,000 employees are currently being supported by the scheme having received a subsidy in their most recent pay period.
The above payments are in addition to the 225,600 people who were reported on the Live Register as of the end of May.
Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty today said:
“The numbers receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment continue to gradually decline – with the total now dropping below the 500,000 mark. Only a few short weeks ago, there were approximately 600,000 receiving the payment so some progress has been made but it is also clear that the return to a new normal will be gradual and incremental. That is why I extended the payment beyond its originally planned life cycle into August. My Department will continue to monitor the rate of the economy’s reopening, the continuing need for income support and the developing health situation and will develop a number of options for Government to consider before the scheme’s projected end in August.”
All Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments issued will be in recipients’ bank accounts or at their local post office tomorrow, Tuesday 16th June.
People returning to work
Last week, some 33,000 people closed their claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment of which 27,600 reported that they were returning to work. Of those 27,600 returning to work, approx. 21,900 are receiving their last payment this week. As the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is a weekly payment paid in arrears, there can be a one week lag in how closures, due to people returning to work, are reflected in the payment data. The 21,900 individuals who closed their claim as they return to work are eligible for a final payment, as they were unemployed in the week for which this payment is due.
The top three sectors in which employees are returning to work this week are Wholesale and Retail Trade, Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles with 7,700 back in work, while 5,300 have returned to the Construction sector and 2,500 have returned to their jobs in Manufacturing. A further 2,400 employees are returning to Accommodation and Food Service activities. A full breakdown of the sectors is set out at Appendix 6 below.
Looking at the age profile of employees returning to work this week, the largest cohort are those aged 35-44 with 7,100 returning (up from 6,200 last week). There are 5,500 employees aged 25-34 returning this week, up 500 on last week while 4,600 people under 25 are returning to their jobs this week which is up 1,000 on last week. Full details are available at Appendix 7.
With the Government’s Roadmap for the Reopening of Society and Business now in Phase Two, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection is instructing workers who are returning to work that they must close their claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).
In order to ensure that their claim is processed correctly, workers who will be returning to work must close their claim for the PUP payment on the actual date that they start back at work. Since the commencement of Phase One of the Government’s Roadmap for the Reopening of Society and Business, some 108,000 employees have closed their claims and returned to work.
The easiest way to close a claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is online via www.mywelfare.ie. Any worker returning to work with an enquiry about closing their claim, can contact the Department’s dedicated income support helpline at 1890 800 024 (Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm).
Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment Checks
As is the case, for all social welfare schemes, the Department conducts a series of pre and post payment checks for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, including:
- Integrity checks made against records already held by the Department including Public Service Information data and cross checks with payments on other schemes. These help to verify if a person is who they claim to be and that they are entitled to claim payment.
- A reconciliation process between the Department’s payment file and Revenue’s payment file for the Covid-19 Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme.
- A prior employment status check by comparing all claims for PUP against prior earnings and employment records from Revenue data.
- As with other welfare schemes, the Department contacts recipients to ensure that they continue to satisfy the eligibility criteria of the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
- Data analytics
- The Department’s inspection staff participating with Garda and Customs staff, in security checks on major transport routes and transport hubs.
Temporary Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme
There are now over 60,600 employers who have registered with the Revenue Commissioners for the Temporary Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS). Workers whose employers have registered them on the scheme are not eligible to receive a pandemic unemployment payment. In addition workers who were in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment but who have now been registered by their employers on the TWSS are no longer eligible to receive a payment pandemic unemployment payment
Covid-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit Payment
There are now 51,300 people up to age 66 who have been medically certified for receipt of the Covid-19 enhanced Illness Benefit. Approx. 7% (3,627) have been diagnosed with Covid-19 while 93% (47,673) were required to medically self-isolate.
Since the beginning of June, 48 people have applied for Illness Benefit as they have been medically certified with having Coronavirus while 452 have applied because they are medically self-isolating.
The sector the largest number of employees in receipt of Covid-19 Illness Benefit is the Human Health and Social Work sector (11,700), followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (10,800) and Manufacturing (6,800). Full details are at Appendices 8, 9 and 10.
Please apply online at www.MyWelfare.ie
The Department wishes to thank its customers for submitting the majority of applications through our online portal www.MyWelfare.ie. This is the quickest and easiest way to submit an application and enables the Department to allocate resources to contacting those who submitted invalid applications.
Individuals can close their Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment online at www.MyWelfare.ie.
In the interests of the public health advice and the restrictions on movements please if at all possible do not attend your local Intreo Centre as opening hours have now been restricted. Instead please apply through www.MyWelfare.ie.
Last week the Department paid a total of 517,600 people the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. This was comprised of 515,700 on Tuesday 9th June and a further 1,900 individuals on Wednesday 10th June.
Appendices
Appendix 1 – Analysis of Pandemic Unemployment Payments by County
Appendix 2 – Map showing total Pandemic Unemployment Payments by County
Appendix 3 – Pandemic Unemployment Payments by Sector
Appendix 4 – Pandemic Unemployment Payments by Age Profile
Appendix 5 – Analysis of People who Closed their PUP Claim to Return to Work
Appendix 6 – Analysis of Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments by Sector
Appendix 7 – Analysis of Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments Age Profile
Appendix 8 – Enhanced Illness Benefit Payments by County
Appendix 9 – Enhanced Illness Benefit Payments by Sector
Appendix 10 – Enhanced Illness Benefit Payments Age Profile
Appendix 1 – Analysis of Pandemic Unemployment Payments
Last week the Department paid a total of 517,600 people the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. This was comprised of 515,700 on Tuesday 9th June and a further 1,900 individuals on Wednesday 10th June.
This week a total of 498,700 people are in receipt a Pandemic Unemployment Payment, of which 237,700 are female and 261,000 are male.
County Breakdown
| County | Number of people in receipt of a Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 16th June | Number of people in receipt of a Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 9th June |
| Carlow | 6,100 | 6,400 |
| Cavan | 7,400 | 7,800 |
| Clare | 12,300 | 12,700 |
| Cork | 50,300 | 52,400 |
| Donegal | 18,100 | 19,000 |
| Dublin | 153,800 | 158,300 |
| Galway | 27,300 | 28,300 |
| Kerry | 18,600 | 19,300 |
| Kildare | 21,400 | 22,400 |
| Kilkenny | 8,600 | 9,000 |
| Laois | 6,900 | 7,200 |
| Leitrim | 3,300 | 3,500 |
| Limerick | 18,400 | 19,100 |
| Longford | 3,700 | 3,900 |
| Louth | 14,600 | 15,300 |
| Mayo | 13,400 | 14,000 |
| Meath | 20,000 | 20,900 |
| Monaghan | 6,600 | 7,000 |
| Offaly | 7,000 | 7,300 |
| Roscommon | 5,700 | 5,900 |
| Sligo | 6,400 | 6,600 |
| Tipperary | 14,600 | 15,300 |
| Waterford | 11,700 | 12,100 |
| Westmeath | 9,200 | 9,700 |
| Wexford | 16,400 | 16,600 |
| Wicklow | 15,400 | 16,000 |
| County not included | 1,500 | 1,600 |
| Total | 498,700 | 517,600 |
Appendix 2
Appendix 3 – Pandemic Unemployment Payments – Sector Breakdown
The highest sector with people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is Accommodation and Food Service activities (118,200), followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (73,200) and Construction (45,500).
The largest weekly drop was in Construction (6,000).
Sector Breakdown
| Industrial Sector | Number of employees in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 16h June | Number of employees in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 9th June |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 6,700 | 7,100 |
| Manufacturing | 27,000 | 28,100 |
| Electricity, gas supply; Water supply, sewerage and waste management | 1,600 | 1,700 |
| Construction | 45,500 | 51,500 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 73,200 | 76,900 |
| Transportation and storage | 14,900 | 15,400 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 118,200 | 120,000 |
| Information and communication activities | 11,500 | 11,600 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 11,300 | 11,600 |
| Real Estate activities | 7,400 | 7,600 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 21,500 | 22,300 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 39,800 | 41,100 |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 11,100 | 11,700 |
| Education | 21,300 | 21,600 |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 18,800 | 19,700 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 13,600 | 13,800 |
| Other Sectors | 37,000 | 37,500 |
| Unclassified or unknown | 18,300 | 18,500 |
| Total | 498,700 | 517,600 |
Appendix 4 – Pandemic Unemployment Payment – Age Profile
| Age category | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 16th June | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 9thJune |
| < 25 | 107,700 | 110,600 |
| 25-34 | 114,600 | 118,800 |
| 35-44 | 114,900 | 120,200 |
| 45-54 | 92,400 | 95,200 |
| 55+ | 69,100 | 71,800 |
| Total | 498,700 | 517,600 |
Appendix 5 – Analysis of People who Closed their PUP Claim to return to Work
Around 27,600 people who have closed their account since 6th June will receive a Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 16th June. Of these, 17,000 are male and 10,600 are female.
County Breakdown
| County | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 16th June | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 9th June |
| Carlow | 400 | 300 |
| Cavan | 500 | 400 |
| Clare | 700 | 500 |
| Cork | 3,100 | 2,300 |
| Donegal | 1,100 | 900 |
| Dublin | 6,300 | 5,800 |
| Galway | 1,300 | 1,100 |
| Kerry | 1,000 | 800 |
| Kildare | 1,300 | 1,100 |
| Kilkenny | 600 | 400 |
| Laois | 400 | 300 |
| Leitrim | 200 | 200 |
| Limerick | 1,100 | 800 |
| Longford | 200 | 200 |
| Louth | 900 | 700 |
| Mayo | 900 | 600 |
| Meath | 1,200 | 1,000 |
| Monaghan | 500 | 400 |
| Offaly | 500 | 400 |
| Roscommon | 400 | 300 |
| Sligo | 300 | 200 |
| Tipperary | 1,100 | 800 |
| Waterford | 800 | 500 |
| Westmeath | 600 | 500 |
| Wexford | 1,100 | 800 |
| Wicklow | 900 | 700 |
| County not included | 200 | 200 |
| Total | 27,600 | 22,200 |
Appendix 6 – Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments – Sector Breakdown
The top three sectors from which employees closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment in the week ending 16th June are Wholesale and Retail Trade Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles (7,700), Construction (5,300) and Manufacturing (2,500).
Sector Breakdown
| Industrial Sector |
Number of people who have closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 16th June | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 9th June |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 500 | 500 |
| Manufacturing | 2,500 | 1,900 |
| Electricity, gas supply; Water supply, sewerage and waste management | 100 | 100 |
| Construction | 5,300 | 6,500 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 7,700 | 3,700 |
| Transportation and storage | 600 | 600 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 2,400 | 2,000 |
| Information and communication activities | 400 | 300 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 600 | 400 |
| Real Estate activities | 400 | 200 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 1,200 | 900 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 1,700 | 1,500 |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 700 | 700 |
| Education | 500 | 400 |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 1,100 | 1,100 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 400 | 200 |
| Other Sectors | 900 | 600 |
| Unclassified or unknown | 600 | 600 |
| Total | 27,600 | 22,200 |
Appendix 7 – Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments – Age Profile
| Age category | Number of employees who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 16th June | Number of employees who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 9th June |
| < 25 | 4,600 | 3,600 |
| 25-34 | 5,500 | 5,000 |
| 35-44 | 7,100 | 6,200 |
| 45-54 | 6,000 | 4,500 |
| 55+ | 4,400 | 2,900 |
| Total | 27,600 | 22,200 |
Appendix 8 – Analysis of Covid-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit
There are 51,300 people medically certified for receipt of a Covid-19 related Illness Benefit payment of which 28,900 are female and 22,400 are male.
For 27,500 of these, the date of their first certificate was issued before week ending 29th March 2020. The following Table shows the number of people medically certified for meeting the conditions for receipt of a Covid-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit payment, by start date entered on the medical certificate.
The number of people medically certified with having Coronavirus is given in brackets below and is included in the weekly overall figure shown.
| Certificate start date | 16th June |
| Before 15/03/2020 | 3,400 (128) |
| 16/03/2020 – 22/03/2020 | 13,600 (315) |
| 23/03/2020 – 29/03/2020 | 10,500 (335) |
| 30/03/2020 – 05/04/2020 | 6,700 (396) |
| 06/04/2020 – 12/04/2020 | 4,000 (417) |
| 13/04/2020 – 19/04/2020 | 3,000 (408) |
| 20/04/2020 – 26/04/2020 | 2,900 (528) |
| 27/04/2020 – 03/05/2020 | 2,400 (453) |
| 04/05/2020 – 10/05/2020 | 1,400 (200) |
| 11/05/2020 – 17/05/2020 | 1,500 (227) |
| 18/05/2020 – 24/05/2020 | 800 (80) |
| 25/05/2020 – 31/05/2020 | 600 (92) |
| 01/06/2020 – 07/06/2020 | 300 (28) |
| 08/06/2020 – 14/06/2020 | 200 (20) |
| Total | 51,300 (3,627) |
County Breakdown (based on the county recorded on the Illness Benefit certificate)
| County | Number of people who are medically certified for receipt of Enhanced Illness Benefit on 16thJune | Number of people who are medically certified for receipt of Enhanced Illness Benefit on 9th June
|
| Carlow | 700 | 700 |
| Cavan | 1,300 | 1,300 |
| Clare | 1,000 | 900 |
| Cork | 5,900 | 5,600 |
| Donegal | 1,200 | 1,100 |
| Dublin | 14,900 | 14,000 |
| Galway | 3,100 | 3,000 |
| Kerry | 1,100 | 1,000 |
| Kildare | 2,500 | 2,300 |
| Kilkenny | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Laois | 900 | 800 |
| Leitrim | 200 | 200 |
| Limerick | 1,800 | 1,700 |
| Longford | 400 | 400 |
| Louth | 1,600 | 1,500 |
| Mayo | 1,200 | 1,200 |
| Meath | 2,000 | 1,900 |
| Monaghan | 800 | 800 |
| Offaly | 900 | 800 |
| Roscommon | 800 | 800 |
| Sligo | 400 | 400 |
| Tipperary | 1,700 | 1,700 |
| Waterford | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| Westmeath | 900 | 900 |
| Wexford | 1,600 | 1,600 |
| Wicklow | 1,600 | 1,500 |
| Other (NI & Foreign Address) | 300 | 300 |
| Total | 51,300 | 48,900 |
Appendix 9 – Covid-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit – Sector Breakdown
The highest sector with people medically certified for receipt of a Covid-19 Illness Benefit payment was Human Health and Social Work (11,700), followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (10,800) and Manufacturing (6,800).
Sector Breakdown
| Industrial Sector | Number of people medically certified to receive Enhanced Illness Benefit on 16th June | Number of people medically certified to receive Enhanced Illness Benefit on 9th June |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 500 | 500 |
| Manufacturing | 6,800 | 6,600 |
| Electricity, gas, steam supply; Water supply; Sewerage, waste management | 200 | 200 |
| Construction | 2,000 | 1,900 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 10,800 | 10,400 |
| Transportation and storage | 2,000 | 1,900 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 1,900 | 1,800 |
| Information and communication activities | 900 | 800 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 2,200 | 2,100 |
| Real Estate activities | 400 | 400 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 1,700 | 1,600 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 5,100 | 4,900 |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 2,100 | 2,000 |
| Education | 800 | 800 |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 11,700 | 10,900 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 300 | 300 |
| Other Sectors | 1,500 | 1,400 |
| Unclassified or unknown | 400 | 400 |
| Total | 51,300 | 48,900 |
Appendix 10 – Enhanced Illness Benefit Age Profile
| Age category | Number of people medically certified to receive Enhanced Illness Benefit on 16th June | Number of people medically certified to receive Enhanced Illness Benefit on 9th June |
| < 25 | 5,900 | 5,700 |
| 25-34 | 12,300 | 11,700 |
| 35-44 | 14,400 | 13,800 |
| 45-54 | 11,100 | 10,400 |
| 55+ | 7,600 | 7,300 |
| Total | 51,300 | 48,900 |
Want to get €5, absolutely free? Sign up to the ‘Smart’ Debit Card – Curve today, and earn a fiver on us! Find out more here.