Update on payments awarded for COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Enhanced Illness Benefit
- Published on: 29 June 2020
- Last updated on: 7 September 2020
Today, the Department of Social Protection issued payments valued at €153.6 million to 439,000 people for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). This represents a decrease of 26,900 on the 465,900 people paid last week.
Since last week’s payment, 25,700 people have closed their claim for a Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Some 14,000 will be receiving their final payment tomorrow.
As well as those availing of the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, there are now over 63,500 employers who have registered with the Revenue Commissioners for the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS). An estimated 405,000 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.
The newly appointed Minister with responsibility for Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands, Heather Humphreys TD today said:
“I have been appointed Minister for Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands at the most challenging time in our State’s history - a time that the State is managing emergency payments for so many people and households in every county. At the outset, I want to acknowledge the work of the department and its officials in developing two new schemes to meet the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and in continuing to steer them through. I also want to acknowledge the commitment and dedication of my predecessor, Regina Doherty under whose stewardship, the department rose to this unprecedented and enormous challenge.
“I welcome the continuing fall in the numbers of people who are depending on the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment. I look forward to working closely with the officials in my department in making every effort to help people who have lost their jobs get back into employment as quickly as possible. This will involve providing people from all communities across the State with the necessary supports and services to assist them transition back into employment. This will be one of my main priorities as Minister with responsibility for Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands and it will be high on my agenda when I meet with senior management in my department early this week."
All COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments issued will be in recipients’ bank accounts or at their local post office tomorrow, Tuesday 30 June.
People returning to work
Last week, some 25,700 people closed their claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment of which 20,100 reported that they were returning to work. Of those 20,100 returning to work, approx. 14,000 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 top three sectors in which employees are returning to work this week are Wholesale and Retail Trade, Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles with 4,100 back in work, while 3,600 have returned to their jobs in Accommodation and Food Service activities and 2,900 have returned to work in the Construction sector. A full breakdown of the sectors is set out at Appendix 5 below.
Since the peak on 5 May of the numbers receiving a Pandemic Unemployment Payment, the number of recipients from the Construction sector has dropped by 55%, Manufacturing by 42% and Wholesale and Retail Trade by 37%.
Looking at the age profile of employees returning to work this week, the largest cohort are those aged 35-44 with (5,100), followed by those employees aged 25-34 (4,500). This is followed by 3,900 in the 45-54 age category and 3,800 more under age 25, all returning to work. Full details are available at Appendix 6.
The number of Pandemic Unemployment Payment recipients who closed their claim since 16 March and who are currently availing of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) is 41,300.
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 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 Reopening Society and Business, over 145,000 employees have closed their claims and returned to work.
The easiest way to close a claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is online via 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).
Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme
There are now over 63,500 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
To date 51,850 people up to age 66 have been medically certified for receipt of the COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit. Just over 7% (3,706) have been diagnosed with COVID-19 while almost 93% (48,144) were required to medically self-isolate.
Since the beginning of June, 90 people have applied for the Enhanced Illness Benefit as they have been medically certified with having COVID-19 while 710 others have applied because they are medically self-isolating.
The sector with the largest number of employees medically certified to receive COVID-19 Illness Benefit is the Human Health and Social Work sector (11,900) followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (11,000) and Manufacturing (6,950). Full details are at Appendices 9, 10 and 11.
Currently, there are 1,050 people receiving a COVID-19 related Illness Benefit payment from the department.
Please apply online at MyWelfare.ie
The department wishes to thank its customers for submitting the majority of applications through our online portal 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 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 MyWelfare.ie.
ENDS
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 - Analysis of People who Closed their PUP Claim to Return to Work
- Appendix 5 - Analysis of Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments by Sector
- Appendix 6 - Analysis of Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments Age Profile
- Appendix 7 - 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
- Appendix 8 – Age Profile of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment to return to work since 16 May and receiving Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme
- Appendix 9 - Enhanced Illness Benefit Payments by County
- Appendix 10 - Enhanced Illness Benefit Payments by Sector
- Appendix 11 - Enhanced Illness Benefit Payments Age Profile
Appendix 1 - Analysis of Pandemic Unemployment Payments
This week a total of 438,900 people are in receipt of a Pandemic Unemployment Payment, of which 213,800 are female and 225,100 are male.
County Breakdown
| County | Number of people in receipt of a Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 30 June | Number of people in receipt of a Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 23 June |
| Carlow | 5,300 | 5,700 |
| Cavan | 6,400 | 6,800 |
| Clare | 10,900 | 11,400 |
| Cork | 43,900 | 46,700 |
| Donegal | 15,900 | 16,800 |
| Dublin | 138,600 | 145,700 |
| Galway | 24,200 | 25,700 |
| Kerry | 16,400 | 17,400 |
| Kildare | 18,700 | 19,900 |
| Kilkenny | 7,400 | 8,000 |
| Laois | 6,000 | 6,400 |
| Leitrim | 2,900 | 3,100 |
| Limerick | 16,000 | 17,000 |
| Longford | 3,200 | 3,400 |
| Louth | 12,800 | 13,600 |
| Mayo | 11,600 | 12,400 |
| Meath | 17,400 | 18,600 |
| Monaghan | 5,600 | 6,100 |
| Offaly | 6,000 | 6,300 |
| Roscommon | 4,900 | 5,200 |
| Sligo | 5,700 | 6,000 |
| Tipperary | 12,500 | 13,400 |
| Waterford | 10,100 | 10,900 |
| Westmeath | 7,900 | 8,600 |
| Wexford | 13,600 | 15,100 |
| Wicklow | 13,700 | 14,400 |
| County not included | 1,300 | 1,300 |
| Total | 438,900 | 465,900 |
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 (110,700), followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (57,000) and Administrative and Support Service activities (36,200).
The largest weekly drop was in Wholesale and Retail Trade (6,600).
Sector Breakdown
| Industrial Sector | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 30 June | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 23 June |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 5,700 | 6,100 |
| Manufacturing | 21,700 | 24,300 |
| Electricity, gas supply; Water supply, sewerage and waste management | 1,400 | 1,500 |
| Construction | 35,600 | 39,700 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 57,000 | 63,600 |
| Transportation and storage | 13,700 | 14,200 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 110,700 | 114,600 |
| Information and communication activities | 10,700 | 11,100 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 10,100 | 10,700 |
| Real Estate activities | 6,500 | 6,900 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 18,900 | 20,100 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 36,200 | 38,000 |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 9,700 | 10,300 |
| Education | 20,200 | 20,700 |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 16,600 | 17,600 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 12,700 | 13,200 |
| Other Sectors | 35,100 | 36,000 |
| Unclassified or unknown | 16,400 | 17,300 |
| Total | 438,900 | 465,900 |
Appendix 3 – Pandemic Unemployment Payment - Age Profile
| Age category | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 30 June | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 23 June |
| < 25 | 95,900 | 101,200 |
| 25-34 | 101,700 | 107,700 |
| 35-44 | 100,400 | 107,100 |
| 45-54 | 80,300 | 85,500 |
| 55+ | 60,600 | 64,400 |
| Total | 438,900 | 465,900 |
Appendix 4 – Analysis of People who Closed their PUP Claim to return to Work
Around 20,100 people who have closed their account for return to work since 20 June will receive a Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 30 June. Of these, 11,800 are male and 8,300 are female.
County Breakdown
| County | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 30 June | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 23 June |
| Carlow | 300 | 300 |
| Cavan | 300 | 400 |
| Clare | 500 | 600 |
| Cork | 2,100 | 2,600 |
| Donegal | 900 | 900 |
| Dublin | 5,200 | 5,900 |
| Galway | 1,100 | 1,200 |
| Kerry | 700 | 800 |
| Kildare | 800 | 1,100 |
| Kilkenny | 400 | 500 |
| Laois | 300 | 400 |
| Leitrim | 100 | 200 |
| Limerick | 800 | 900 |
| Longford | 100 | 200 |
| Louth | 600 | 800 |
| Mayo | 800 | 700 |
| Meath | 900 | 1,000 |
| Monaghan | 300 | 400 |
| Offaly | 300 | 400 |
| Roscommon | 300 | 300 |
| Sligo | 300 | 300 |
| Tipperary | 600 | 800 |
| Waterford | 500 | 700 |
| Westmeath | 400 | 500 |
| Wexford | 800 | 1,200 |
| Wicklow | 600 | 700 |
| County not included | 100 | 100 |
| Total | 20,100 | 23,900 |
Appendix 5 – Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments - Sector Breakdown
The top three sectors from which employees closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment in the week ending 30 June are Wholesale and Retail Trade Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles (4,100), Accommodation and Food Service activities (3,600) and Construction (2,900).
Sector Breakdown
| Industrial Sector | Number of people who have closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 30 June | Number of people who have closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 23 June |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 300 | 400 |
| Manufacturing | 1,600 | 2,400 |
| Electricity, gas supply; Water supply, sewerage and waste management | 100 | 100 |
| Construction | 2,900 | 3,900 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 4,100 | 6,300 |
| Transportation and storage | 400 | 500 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 3,600 | 2,600 |
| Information and communication activities | 400 | 300 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 400 | 500 |
| Real Estate activities | 300 | 400 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 800 | 1,100 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 1,400 | 1,700 |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 400 | 600 |
| Education | 500 | 500 |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 800 | 900 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 400 | 400 |
| Other Sectors | 1,000 | 800 |
| Unclassified or unknown | 700 | 500 |
| Total | 20,100 | 23,900 |
Appendix 6 – Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments – Age Profile
| Age category | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 30 June | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 23 June |
| < 25 | 3,800 | 4,500 |
| 25-34 | 4,500 | 5,100 |
| 35-44 | 5,100 | 6,000 |
| 45-54 | 3,900 | 4,900 |
| 55+ | 2,800 | 3,400 |
| Total | 20,100 | 23,900 |
Appendix 7 - 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)
Since the start of Phase 1 on 18 May, 41,300 people have closed their claims for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment for reasons of returning to work and whose pay is currently being subsidised under the government's Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS). Of this total 14,700 are female and 26,600 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 Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles (13,300), Construction (9,900) and Accommodation and food service activities (5,300). Details follow.
| Industrial Sector | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment for return to work reasons since 16 May and receiving the TWSS on 30 June |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 400 |
| Manufacturing | 5,000 |
| Electricity, gas supply; Water supply, sewerage and waste management | 200 |
| Construction | 9,900 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 13,300 |
| Transportation and storage | 800 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 5,300 |
| Information and communication activities | 200 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 100 |
| Real Estate activities | 300 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 1,300 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 1,700 |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 100 |
| Education | 100 |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 1,300 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 400 |
| Other Sectors | 500 |
| Unclassified or unknown | 400 |
| Total | 41,300 |
Appendix 8 - Age Profile of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment to return to work since 16 May and receiving TWSS
| Age category | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment for return to work reasons since 16 May and who are in receipt of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme at 30 June |
| < 25 | 7,200 |
| 25-34 | 9,400 |
| 35-44 | 11,200 |
| 45-54 | 8,400 |
| 55+ | 5,100 |
| Total | 41,300 |
Appendix 9 - Analysis of COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit
There are 51,850 people medically certified for receipt of a COVID-19 related Illness Benefit payment. For 27,750 of these, the date of their first certificate was issued before week ending 29 March 2020. Currently, there are 1,050 people receiving a COVID-19 related Illness Benefit payment from the department.
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 | 30 June |
| Before 15/03/2020 | 3,400 (129) |
| 16/03/2020 - 22/03/2020 | 13,700 (331) |
| 23/03/2020 - 29/03/2020 | 10,650 (345) |
| 30/03/2020 - 05/04/2020 | 6,700 (403) |
| 06/04/2020 - 12/04/2020 | 4,000 (428) |
| 13/04/2020 - 19/04/2020 | 3,000 (414) |
| 20/04/2020 - 26/04/2020 | 2,900 (538) |
| 27/04/2020 - 03/05/2020 | 2,400 (459) |
| 04/05/2020 - 10/05/2020 | 1,400 (209) |
| 11/05/2020 - 17/05/2020 | 1,500 (232) |
| 18/05/2020 - 24/05/2020 | 800 (90) |
| 25/05/2020 - 31/05/2020 | 600 (103) |
| 01/06/2020 - 07/06/2020 | 300 (39) |
| 08/06/2020 - 14/06/2020 | 200 (30) |
| 15/06/2020 - 21/06/2020 | 200 (13) |
| 22/06/2020 - 28/06/2020 | 100(8) |
| Total | 51,850 (3,773) |
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 30 June | Number of people who are medically certified for receipt of Enhanced Illness Benefit on 23 June |
| Carlow | 700 | 700 |
| Cavan | 1,300 | 1,300 |
| Clare | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Cork | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| Donegal | 1,200 | 1,200 |
| Dublin | 15,200 | 15,100 |
| Galway | 3,100 | 3,100 |
| Kerry | 1,100 | 1,100 |
| Kildare | 2,500 | 2,500 |
| Kilkenny | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Laois | 900 | 900 |
| Leitrim | 200 | 200 |
| Limerick | 1,800 | 1,800 |
| Longford | 400 | 400 |
| Louth | 1,600 | 1,600 |
| Mayo | 1,200 | 1,200 |
| Meath | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Monaghan | 800 | 800 |
| Offaly | 900 | 900 |
| Roscommon | 800 | 800 |
| Sligo | 400 | 400 |
| Tipperary | 1,750 | 1,700 |
| Waterford | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| Westmeath | 900 | 900 |
| Wexford | 1,600 | 1,600 |
| Wicklow | 1,600 | 1,600 |
| Other (NI & Foreign Address) | 400 | 300 |
| Total | 51,850 | 51,600 |
Appendix 10 – 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 was Human Health and Social Work (11,900), followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (11,000) and Manufacturing (6,950).
Sector Breakdown
| Industrial Sector | Number of people medically certified to receive Enhanced Illness Benefit on 30 June | Number of people medically certified to receive Enhanced Illness Benefit on 23 June |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 500 | 500 |
| Manufacturing | 6,950 | 6,800 |
| Electricity, gas, steam supply; Water supply; Sewerage, waste management | 200 | 200 |
| Construction | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 11,000 | 10,900 |
| Transportation and storage | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 1,900 | 1,900 |
| Information and communication activities | 900 | 900 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 2,200 | 2,200 |
| Real Estate activities | 400 | 400 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 1,700 | 1,700 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 5,100 | 5,100 |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 2,100 | 2,100 |
| Education | 800 | 800 |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 11,900 | 11,900 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 300 | 300 |
| Other Sectors | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| Unclassified or unknown | 400 | 400 |
| Total | 51,850 | 51,600 |
Appendix 11 – Enhanced Illness Benefit - Age Profile
| Age category | Number of people medically certified to receive Enhanced Illness Benefit on 30 June | Number of people medically certified to receive Enhanced Illness Benefit on 23 June |
| < 25 | 6,000 | 5,900 |
| 25-34 | 12,550 | 12,400 |
| 35-44 | 14,600 | 14,600 |
| 45-54 | 11,100 | 11,100 |
| 55+ | 7,600 | 7,600 |
| Total | 51,850 | 51,600 |
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