Further 30,000 close their Pandemic Unemployment Payment
The number of people receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) fell by almost 33,000 last week, the seventh successive week where a fall has been recorded.
The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection issued payments valued at €163.1m to 465,900 people for the PUP. Taking the 498,700 who were paid last week, this represents a decrease of 32,800 on the number of people paid last week.
Since last week’s payment, 30,000 people have closed their claim for a Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Some 17,900 will be receiving their final payment tomorrow.
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 6,300 back in work, while 3,900 have returned to the construction sector and 2,600 have returned to their jobs in accommodation and food service activities. A further 2,400 employees are returning to their jobs in the manufacturing industry.
An estimated 410,000 employees are currently being supported by the Temporary Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) 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 statistics are clear evidence that many businesses are returning slowly but surely especially in the construction, manufacturing and wholesale and retail industries throughout the country.
