Update on payments awarded for COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Enhanced Illness Benefit
- Published on: 10 August 2020
- Last updated on: 11 April 2025
262,500 receive Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week – down 12,100 compared to last week
Overall numbers have dropped 56% since peak on 5 May
€84.4 million to be paid in PUP payments tomorrow
Minister encourages impacted workers in Kildare, Laois and Offaly to apply for PUP
Final reminder for PUP recipients who have not confirmed their continued eligibility to avoid their payment being suspended
Today the Department of Social Protection issued payments valued at €84.4 million to 262,500 people for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). This represents a decrease of 12,100 on the 274,600 people paid last week and a 56% drop on the 598,000 paid at its peak on 5 May.
In the past seven days, 11,100 people have closed their claim for a Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Some 5,000 will be receiving their final payment tomorrow, 11 August.
The top three sectors in which employees are returning to work this week are Accommodation and Food Services; Wholesale and Retail Trade, Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles; and Construction.
The largest cohort returning to work is in the 25-34 age group.
Today, the Department of Social Protection is issuing a further reminder to people who have failed to confirm their eligibility that they must do so by Friday 14 August, or their payment will be suspended.
Speaking today, Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, welcomed the continuing reduction in numbers claiming the PUP:
“Over the past number of weeks, thanks to the efforts of everybody in our community, we have succeeded in reopening significant parts of our society. This is reflected in the continued reduction in the number of people claiming the PUP. However, we cannot take this progress for granted and we have to safeguard the progress made by continuing to follow the advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).
“Regrettably we have had to postpone some elements of the reopening plan and introduce some limited restrictions in the counties of Kildare, Laois and Offaly.
“I understand that this decision is very disheartening for businesses and employees in those counties many of whom have only recently returned to work. It is critically important however that we do not take any unnecessary risks that could reverse the progress our country has made to date and lead to the re-introduction of further restrictions. This has already happened in a number of other countries.
“I want to emphasise that workers who are affected by these restrictions in Kildare, Laois and Offaly are entitled to access the COVID-19 Illness Benefit payment and the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment. This includes people living in Direct Provision Centres and non-nationals whose employment has been temporarily suspended due to a forced closure of a business as a result of COVID-19. The easiest way to access these income supports is to apply online at www.MyWelfare.ie.”
The easiest way for people to apply for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is online at www.MyWelfare.ie. When applying, people should provide the name of their employer and details of their last day of employment.
As well as those availing of the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, there are now over 69,500 employers who have registered with the Revenue Commissioners for the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS). An estimated 370,000 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 244,600 people who were reported on the Live Register as of the end of July. All COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments issued will be in recipients’ bank accounts or at their local post office tomorrow, Tuesday 11 August.
Payment Assurance
Also, today, the Department of Social Protection has confirmed that over the weekend it has issued further notifications to approximately 29,000 individuals who have failed, so far, to confirm their continued eligibility for PUP. In July, as part of process of assuring the integrity of PUP payments the department contacted the approximately 390,000 people receiving PUP at that time and asked them to confirm their continued eligibility. Notifications were issued directly to PUP recipients via email, SMS and via their MyWelfare account informing them of their need to confirm their continued eligibility. These direct communications were supported by a large advertising campaign on national and local media and on social media. The vast majority of people have now confirmed their eligibility but a number of people have not responded despite being contacted on three separate occasions.
Although the deadline to respond has already been extended once, a fourth communication issued over the weekend to the people concerned giving them until 12.00 noon on Friday next to respond. The communication advised that no further payments will issue after the payment that they receive tomorrow. However, they were also provided with a link to the www.MyWelfare.ie site where they can easily apply to have their payment restored. As long as they do this before 12 noon on Friday next 14 August they will receive a payment as normal next week. People can still apply to have their payment restored after 12 noon on Friday 14 August but given the time required to process payments though the banking system any restoration requests received after that time will be paid the following week.
The Minister explained:
“As part of its normal payments assurance processes the department contacts recipients across all its schemes from time to time to ask them to confirm their continued entitlement to the payment. PUP is no different in this respect and the department undertook a major programme of contacting all recipients and publicising the process via a large-scale advertising campaign.
“The vast majority of people responded and confirmed their eligibility. However, some people have not contacted the department or responded in any way to any of the three separate messages sent to them. The department has now contacted them a fourth time and extended the deadline to this Friday 14 August at 12 noon.
“Where a person who received correspondence from the department and for some reason has not yet responded, I would strongly encourage them to do so now. It is a very simple process and can be completed online at www.MyWelfare.ie. If they do this before 12 noon Friday they will continue to receive their payment as normal."
As applications for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment were submitted online, PUP recipients will be familiar with MyWelfare.ie however if any person is unsure or needs assistance, they can contact 1890 800 024 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
Payment Rates
Employees whose average weekly earnings in 2019 or January and February 2020 (whichever is the higher) were less than €200 gross will receive a weekly Pandemic Unemployment Payment of €203 a week. This equates to the standard jobseeker rate of payment and as it is higher than the person’s prior earnings will still mean that people, who receive €203 per week, are in receipt of a higher income than they had prior to being laid-off due to COVID-19.
Employees with average earnings of €200 or more a week will continue to receive €350 Pandemic Unemployment Payment with almost 3 in 4 recipients continuing to receive €350 per week.
Some 71,200 people will receive the €203 rate of payment this week which is 3,000 less than last week. The majority of people - 191,300 - will continue to receive the €350 rate of payment, which is 9,100 less than last week.
Any person, including any self-employed person, who believes that their new payment rate does not accurately reflect their prior earnings can contact the department to request a review of earnings and forward all supporting documents, which will be matched with Revenue records.
They can contact the department by:
- emailing PUPRerate@welfare.ie
- writing to Pandemic Unemployment Rerate Requests, DEASP, Intreo Centre, Cork Road, Waterford
- calling 1890 800 024
Payments to self-employed people have been assessed, in the first instance, based on their 2018 returns to the Revenue Commissioners (Returns for 2019 are not due until later in 2020). However, if a person has submitted their 2019 returns to Revenue and they consider that these are more beneficial, they can request a review of their PUP rate of payment from the department. The department will examine each case using the updated 2019 Revenue tax information and if the person has average earnings of €200 or more their payment will be increased to the higher rate of €350 per week. The department will process applications for review as quickly as possible.
People returning to work
In the past week, some 11,100 people closed their claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment of which 8,400 reported that they were returning to work. Of those 8,400 returning to work, some 5,000 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 reduction in the number of people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will, therefore, be reflected in next week’s figures.
The top three sectors in which employees are returning to work this week are Accommodation and Food Services (2,300); Wholesale and Retail Trade, Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles (1,100); and Construction (700). A full breakdown of the sectors in this area is set out at Appendix 7 below.
The age profile of employees returning to work this week shows that the largest cohort are those in the 25–34 age group (2,100), followed by those employees under 25 years of age (1,900); those aged 35-44 (1,800) and 1,500 aged 45-54 also returning to work. Full details are available at Appendix 8.
The number of Pandemic Unemployment Payment recipients who closed their claim since the start of Phase 1 (18 May) and who are currently availing of the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) has increased to 90,600 compared to 96,900 this time last week, the biggest increase being in the Accommodation and Food Services sector.
The department continues to remind 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 are 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 Reopening Society and Business, over 289,000 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 9am to 5pm).
Industries that remain closed
Where, due to ongoing restrictions, a person’s employer has not restarted operations or where a sector is still temporarily closed the department will continue to support the workers concerned through payment of the PUP.
COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment Checks
As is the case, for all social welfare schemes and as part of the department’s normal work, 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 Temporary COVID-19 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. At the start of July the department required all PUP recipients to confirm their eligibility in order to continue to receive the payment and issued several reminders to customers (See above)
- data analytics
Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme
There are now over 69,500 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 Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit Payment
Since the beginning of July, 121 people have been medically certified with having COVID-19 while 1,679 others have been medically certified because they are medically self-isolating.
To date 54,100 people under age 66 have been medically certified for receipt of the COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit. Just over 7% (4,032) have been diagnosed with COVID-19 while almost 93% (50,068) were required to medically self-isolate.
The sector with the highest number of employees medically certified to receive COVID-19 Illness Benefit continues to be the Human Health and Social Work sector (11,900) followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (11,500) and Manufacturing (7,400). Full details are at Appendices 11, 12 and 13.
Minister Humphreys commented:
“The Enhanced Illness Benefit is paid for two weeks where a person is medically certified to self-isolate, and for a maximum of ten weeks where a person is medically certified as being diagnosed with COVID-19.
“Again, I want to reassure workers that the Enhanced Illness Benefit is available to people who need to claim this payment. This includes workers who are non-nationals and those living in Direct Provision."
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 or close a COVID-19-Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
In the interests of the public health advice and observing social distancing people are asked, if at all possible not to attend their local Intreo Centre. Instead, they should avail of the online services available through www.MyWelfare.ie.
Appendices
Appendix 1 - Analysis of Pandemic Unemployment Payments by County
Appendix 2 - Pandemic Unemployment Payments by Sector
Appendix 3 - Pandemic Unemployment Payments by Age Profile
Appendix 4 - Pandemic Unemployment Payment Rates by gender
Appendix 5 - Pandemic Unemployment Payment Rates by age
Appendix 6 - Analysis of People who Closed their PUP Claim to Return to Work
Appendix 7 - Analysis of Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments by Sector
Appendix 8 - Analysis of Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments Age Profile
Appendix 9 - Analysis of Pandemic Unemployment Payments recipients who closed their claim since start of Phase 1 and who are currently receiving the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme Sector breakdown
Appendix 10 – Age Profile of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment to return to work since 18 May and receiving Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme
Appendix 11 - Enhanced Illness Benefit Payments by County
Appendix 12 - Enhanced Illness Benefit Payments by Sector
Appendix 13 - Enhanced Illness Benefit Payments Age Profile
Appendix 1 - Analysis of Pandemic Unemployment Payments
This week a total of 262,500 people are in receipt of a Pandemic Unemployment Payment, of which 122,700 are female and 139,800 are male. Numbers contained in all appendices are rounded to the nearest hundred.
County Breakdown
| County | Number of people in receipt of a Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 11 August | Number of people in receipt of a Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 4 August | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 5 May | |
| Carlow | 3,000 | 3,200 | 7,800 | |
| Cavan | 3,600 | 3,800 | 9,700 | |
| Clare | 5,800 | 6,000 | 14,600 | |
| Cork | 25,000 | 26,300 | 61,900 | |
| Donegal | 8,100 | 8,500 | 22,700 | |
| Dublin | 91,500 | 95,100 | 174,200 | |
| Galway | 13,900 | 14,600 | 32,300 | |
| Kerry | 8,200 | 8,700 | 22,200 | |
| Kildare | 11,900 | 12,300 | 26,100 | |
| Kilkenny | 4,000 | 4,200 | 10,600 | |
| Laois | 3,600 | 3,700 | 8,600 | |
| Leitrim | 1,500 | 1,700 | 4,100 | |
| Limerick | 10,100 | 10,600 | 22,300 | |
| Longford | 1,900 | 1,900 | 4,500 | |
| Louth | 8,000 | 8,300 | 17,300 | |
| Mayo | 6,000 | 6,400 | 16,400 | |
| Meath | 10,500 | 11,100 | 25,000 | |
| Monaghan | 3,300 | 3,400 | 8,200 | |
| Offaly | 3,500 | 3,600 | 8,900 | |
| Roscommon | 2,800 | 2,900 | 7,100 | |
| Sligo | 3,000 | 3,200 | 7,700 | |
| Tipperary | 7,600 | 8,000 | 18,800 | |
| Waterford | 5,600 | 5,800 | 14,100 | |
| Westmeath | 4,700 | 4,900 | 11,700 | |
| Wexford | 7,000 | 7,500 | 20,500 | |
| Wicklow | 8,000 | 8,400 | 18,700 | |
| County not included | 400 | 500 | 2,000 | |
| Total | 262,500 | 274,600 | 598,000 |
Appendix 2 – Pandemic Unemployment Payments - Sector Breakdown
The sector with the highest number of people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is Accommodation and Food Service Activities (55,100), followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (37,200) and Administrative and Support Service activities (26,400).
The largest weekly drop was in Accommodation and Food Service activities (4,100) followed Wholesale and Retail Trade, Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles (1,600).
Sector Breakdown
| Industrial Sector | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 11 August | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 4 August | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 5 May |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 3,800 | 3,900 | 8,600 |
| Manufacturing | 14,300 | 14,800 | 37,400 |
| Electricity, gas supply; Water supply, sewerage and waste management | 1,000 | 1,000 | 2,100 |
| Construction | 22,100 | 23,000 | 79,300 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 37,200 | 38,800 | 90,300 |
| Transportation and storage | 10,600 | 10,900 | 17,900 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 55,100 | 59,200 | 128,500 |
| Information and communication activities | 7,600 | 7,800 | 11,800 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 6,600 | 6,800 | 12,500 |
| Real Estate activities | 3,900 | 4,100 | 8,100 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 12,900 | 13,300 | 24,800 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 26,400 | 27,200 | 45,800 |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 6,200 | 6,400 | 14,400 |
| Education | 15,500 | 15,900 | 22,000 |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 11,100 | 11,600 | 22,500 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 6,900 | 7,400 | 14,200 |
| Other Sectors | 12,100 | 12,900 | 39,200 |
| Unclassified or unknown | 9,200 | 9,600 | 18,600 |
| Total | 262,500 | 274,600 | 598,000 |
Appendix 3 – Pandemic Unemployment Payment - Age Profile
| Age category | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 11 August | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 4 August |
| < 25 | 53,800 | 56,900 |
| 25-34 | 59,300 | 62,300 |
| 35-44 | 59,000 | 61,700 |
| 45-54 | 49,900 | 51,900 |
| 55+ | 40,500 | 41,800 |
| Total | 262,500 | 274,600 |
Appendix 4 – Pandemic Unemployment Payment Rates breakdown by gender
There are 71,200 people receiving €203 this week, while the remainder (191,300) are receiving a payment of €350.
| Gender | Number of people in receipt of €350 on 11 August | Number of people in receipt of €203 on 11 August |
| Male | 105,300 | 34,500 |
| Female | 86,000 | 36,700 |
| Total | 191,300 | 71,200 |
Appendix 5 – Pandemic Unemployment Payment Rates breakdown by age
| Age category | Number of people in receipt of €350 on 11 August | Number of people in receipt of €203 on 11 August |
| < 25 | 35,900 | 17,900 |
| 25-34 | 47,500 | 11,800 |
| 35-44 | 44,400 | 14,600 |
| 45-54 | 36,000 | 13,900 |
| 55+ | 27,500 | 13,000 |
| Total | 191,300 | 71,200 |
Appendix 6 – Analysis of Closed PUP payments to return to Work
Around 8,400 people who have closed their account for return to work since 1 August will receive a Pandemic Unemployment Payment tomorrow, 11 August. Of these, 4,300 are male and 4,100 are female.
County Breakdown
| County | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 11 August | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 4 August |
| Carlow | 100 | 100 |
| Cavan | 200 | 100 |
| Clare | 200 | 200 |
| Cork | 800 | 1,000 |
| Donegal | 300 | 300 |
| Dublin | 2,300 | 2,200 |
| Galway | 500 | 500 |
| Kerry | 300 | 300 |
| Kildare | 400 | 400 |
| Kilkenny | 200 | 200 |
| Laois | 100 | 100 |
| Leitrim | 100 | 100 |
| Limerick | 300 | 300 |
| Longford | 100 | 100 |
| Louth | 300 | 200 |
| Mayo | 200 | 200 |
| Meath | 300 | 300 |
| Monaghan | 100 | 100 |
| Offaly | 100 | 100 |
| Roscommon | 100 | 100 |
| Sligo | 100 | 100 |
| Tipperary | 200 | 300 |
| Waterford | 200 | 200 |
| Westmeath | 200 | 200 |
| Wexford | 300 | 300 |
| Wicklow | 300 | 200 |
| County not included | 100 | 100 |
| Total | 8,400 | 8,300 |
Appendix 7 – Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments - Sector Breakdown
The top three sectors from which employees closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment in the week ending 11th August are Accommodation and Food Service Activities (2,300); Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles (1,100), and Construction (700).
| Industrial Sector | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 11 August | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 4 August |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 100 | 100 |
| Manufacturing | 500 | 400 |
| Electricity, gas supply; Water supply, sewerage and waste management | 0 | 0 |
| Construction | 700 | 700 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 1,100 | 1,100 |
| Transportation and storage | 300 | 200 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 2,300 | 2,600 |
| Information and communication activities | 300 | 200 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 200 | 200 |
| Real Estate activities | 100 | 100 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 400 | 300 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 600 | 600 |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 200 | 200 |
| Education | 300 | 300 |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 400 | 300 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 300 | 300 |
| Other Sectors | 400 | 500 |
| Unclassified or unknown | 200 | 200 |
| Total | 8,400 | 8,300 |
Appendix 8 – Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments – Age Profile
| Age category | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 11 August | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 4 August |
| < 25 | 1,900 | 2,100 |
| 25-34 | 2,100 | 1,900 |
| 35-44 | 1,800 | 1,900 |
| 45-54 | 1,500 | 1,400 |
| 55+ | 1,100 | 1,000 |
| Total | 8,400 | 8,300 |
Appendix 9 - Analysis of Pandemic Unemployment Payments Recipients who closed their claim since start of Phase 1 and who are currently receiving the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) – Sector Breakdown
Since the start of Phase 1 on 18 May, 90,600 people have closed their claims for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment for reasons of returning to work and are currently being subsidised by the government's Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS). Of this total 48,200 are female and 42,400 are male.
Sector Breakdown
The top three sectors from which people closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment who are currently receiving the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme are Accommodation and Food Service Activities (33,300); Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles (17,100) and Construction (9,500). Details follow.
Sector Breakdown
| Industrial Sector | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment payment for return to work reasons since 18 May and receiving the TWSS on 11 August | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment payment for return to work reasons since 18 May and receiving the TWSS on 4 August | |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 500 | 600 | |
| Manufacturing | 6,200 | 7,900 | |
| Electricity, gas supply; Water supply, sewerage and waste management | 100 | 100 | |
| Construction | 9,500 | 10,400 | |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 17,100 | 18,700 | |
| Transportation and storage | 1,200 | 1,300 | |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 33,300 | 35,100 | |
| Information and communication activities | 700 | 700 | |
| Financial and insurance activities | 600 | 500 | |
| Real Estate activities | 1,300 | 1,300 | |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 2,300 | 2,600 | |
| Administrative and support service activities | 2,400 | 2,700 | |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 400 | 400 | |
| Education | 1,100 | 1,100 | |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 2,600 | 2,800 | |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 2,800 | 2,400 | |
| Other Sectors | 8,400 | 8,200 | |
| Unclassified or unknown | 100 | 100 | |
| Total | 90,600 | 96,900 |
Appendix 10 - Age Profile of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment to return to work since 18 May and receiving TWSS
| Age category | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment for return to work reasons since 18 May and who are in receipt of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme at 11 August |
| < 25 | 21,300 |
| 25-34 | 21,800 |
| 35-44 | 22,300 |
| 45-54 | 15,600 |
| 55+ | 9,600 |
| Total | 90,600 |
Appendix 11 - Analysis of COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit
There are 54,100 people medically certified for receipt of a COVID-19 related Illness Benefit payment, of whom 30,200 are female and 23,900 are male.
For 150 people the date of their first certificate was issued in August 2020, of which 14 have been certified for COVID-19.
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 COVID-19 is given in brackets and is included in the weekly overall figure shown.
| Certificate start date | 11 August |
| Before March 2020 | 200 (7) |
| March 2020 | 31,100 (990) |
| April 2020 | 14,500 (2,025) |
| May 2020 | 5,000 (764) |
| June 2020 | 1,500 (125) |
| July 2020 | 1,700 (107) |
| August 2020 (to date) | 150(14) |
| Total | 54,100 (4,032) |
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 11 August | Number of people who are medically certified for receipt of Enhanced Illness Benefit on 4 August | |
| Carlow | 700 | 700 | |
| Cavan | 1,400 | 1,400 | |
| Clare | 1,000 | 1,000 | |
| Cork | 6,200 | 6,200 | |
| Donegal | 1,200 | 1,200 | |
| Dublin | 15,600 | 15,400 | |
| Galway | 3,300 | 3,300 | |
| Kerry | 1,100 | 1,100 | |
| Kildare | 2,700 | 2,600 | |
| Kilkenny | 1,100 | 1,100 | |
| Laois | 900 | 900 | |
| Leitrim | 200 | 200 | |
| Limerick | 1,900 | 1,800 | |
| Longford | 500 | 500 | |
| Louth | 1,600 | 1,600 | |
| Mayo | 1,300 | 1,300 | |
| Meath | 2,100 | 2,100 | |
| Monaghan | 800 | 800 | |
| Offaly | 900 | 900 | |
| Roscommon | 900 | 800 | |
| Sligo | 500 | 500 | |
| Tipperary | 1,800 | 1,800 | |
| Waterford | 1,600 | 1,600 | |
| Westmeath | 1,000 | 1,000 | |
| Wexford | 1,800 | 1,700 | |
| Wicklow | 1,700 | 1,700 | |
| Other (NI & Foreign Address) | 300 | 300 | |
| Total | 54,100 | 53,500 |
Appendix 12 – COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit - Sector Breakdown
The sector with the highest number of people medically certified for receipt of a COVID-19 Illness Benefit payment is Human Health and Social Work (11,900), followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (11,500) and Manufacturing (7,400).
Sector Breakdown
| Industrial Sector | Number of people who are medically certified for receipt of Enhanced Illness Benefit on 11 August | Number of people who are medically certified for receipt of Enhanced Illness Benefit on 4 August | |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 500 | 500 | |
| Manufacturing | 7,400 | 7,300 | |
| Electricity, gas, steam supply; Water supply; Sewerage, waste management | 300 | 300 | |
| Construction | 2,100 | 2,200 | |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 11,500 | 11,400 | |
| Transportation and storage | 2,100 | 2,100 | |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 2,200 | 2,100 | |
| Information and communication activities | 900 | 900 | |
| Financial and insurance activities | 2,300 | 2,200 | |
| Real Estate activities | 500 | 400 | |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 1,800 | 1,700 | |
| Administrative and support service activities | 5,300 | 5,300 | |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 2,200 | 2,200 | |
| Education | 900 | 900 | |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 11,900 | 11,800 | |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 300 | 300 | |
| Other Sectors | 1,500 | 1,500 | |
| Unclassified or unknown | 400 | 400 | |
| Total | 54,100 | 53,500 |
Appendix 13 – Enhanced Illness Benefit - Age Profile
| Age category | Number of people medically certified to receive Enhanced Illness Benefit on 11 August |
| < 25 | 6,200 |
| 25-34 | 13,100 |
| 35-44 | 15,300 |
| 45-54 | 11,500 |
| 55+ | 8,000 |
| Total | 54,100 |