Update on payments awarded for COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Enhanced Illness Benefit
- Published on: 24 August 2020
- Last updated on: 11 April 2025
230,400 receive Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week
Overall numbers have dropped over 61% since peak on 5 May
Counties Kildare, Laois and Offaly have slight increase in numbers claiming PUP
€71.7 million to be paid in PUP payments tomorrow
Today the Department of Social Protection issued payments valued at €71.7 million to 230,400 people for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). This represents a decrease of 2,000 on the 232,400 people paid last week and it is a drop of over 61% on the 598,000 paid at its peak on 5 May.
In the past seven days, 6,800 people have closed their claim for a Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Some 3,300 will be receiving their final payment tomorrow, 25 August.
The top 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 and Administrative and Support Service activities.
The largest cohort returning to work is in the 35-44 age group.
Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, commented:
“The Pandemic Unemployment Payment continues to be a vital source of income for thousands of individuals and families across the country and that’s why the government has taken the decision to extend the payment until April 2021.
“This week, we see 6,800 more people closing their Payment. While it is positive that we continue to see more people returning to work, it is clear that the rate of decrease has slowed in recent weeks.
“In sectors where restrictions still apply, we hope that people will be able to return to their jobs once those restrictions ease. The government also continues to roll out measures like the Back to Education Allowance aimed at getting people back to work.
“Counties Kildare, Laois and Offaly each have a small increase in the numbers receiving the payment this week. I recognise that the people of these counties were asked to make huge sacrifices to save lives and to protect their families, friends and neighbours. I wish to acknowledge the sacrifices that they made over the past two weeks and particularly their huge efforts in adhering to the government guidelines in helping to suppress the spread of the virus. The people of county Kildare have been asked to continue these efforts for another two weeks as the figures and advice from NPHET continue to warrant this approach.”
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 25 August.
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 60,800 people will receive the €203 rate of payment this week which is 950 less than last week. The majority of people – 169,600 - will continue to receive the €350 rate of payment, which is 1,050 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 6,800 people closed their claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment of which 4,800 reported that they were returning to work. Of those 4,800 returning to work, some 3,300 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 sectors in which employees are returning to work this week are Accommodation and Food Services (1,100); Wholesale and Retail Trade, Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles (750), followed by Construction and Administrative and Support Service activities each having 400 employees returning to work. 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 35-44 age group (1,200), followed by 1,100 in the 25-34 age group. There are 1,000 in the under 25 age group and 900 in the 45-54 also returning. 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) is 92,300 compared with 92,100 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 1 of the government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, over 300,000 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.
Back to Education Allowance Option for people receiving PUP
The Back to Education Allowance scheme is an education support for people aged 21 and over who are unemployed. It is also available to those parenting alone or who have a disability and are getting certain payments from the Department of Social Protection. They have the option of commencing a full-time second or third-level education course and continue to receive a weekly income support.
Ordinarily a person must be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for at least nine months before being eligible to apply for the Back to Education Allowance. The nine month requirement is being waived for PUP recipients who wish to apply for Back to Education Allowance.
If a person currently in receipt of PUP wants to apply for Back to Education Allowance, they can now choose to transfer to a jobseeker’s payment. Their rate of Back to Education Allowance payment will be linked to their qualifying social welfare rate of payment. For example, if they are eligible for weekly Jobseeker’s Allowance payable at €203, they will be paid the Back to Education Allowance at this rate. Whereas the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is short term in nature and scheduled to cease in April 2021, the Back to Education Allowance provides long term income support which can be provided for the duration of an education course and which can extend for up to 3 or 4 years depending on the individuals circumstances.
There is also an annual Cost of Education Allowance of €500 available to participants of the Back to Education Allowance scheme who have one or more dependent children.
Minister Humphreys said:
“The main objective of the Back to Education Allowance Scheme is to help people who have been out of the labour market by giving them the option to gain further education and skill levels that will improve their prospects of finding work.
“As the Pandemic Unemployment Payment was introduced in March, many people in receipt of the payment would not normally qualify for the Back to Education Allowance due to the requirement that a person must be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for 9 months or longer.
“I have therefore taken the decision to waive this requirement so that people currently in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment can access the Back to Education Allowance. I would encourage people to review the qualifying criteria and should they feel that returning to education is the right option for them, they may wish to access the Back to Education Allowance.
“This year, in recognition of the difficulties faced by education providers for the upcoming academic year and to ease any stress for the participants, the scheme will include support for blended learning and distance learning opportunities which are not generally supported through the Back to Education Allowance. This particular measure will be reviewed at the end of the next academic year.”
Full information on the Back to Education Allowance along with the application form are available on the department’s website here.
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
- 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 August, 173 people have been medically certified with having COVID-19 while 1,627 others have been medically certified because they are medically self-isolating.
To date 56,200 people under age 66 have been medically certified for receipt of the COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit. Over 7.5% (4,233) have been diagnosed with COVID-19 while almost 93% (51,967) were required to medically self-isolate.
There are 1,011 people currently receiving a COVID-19 related Enhanced Illness Benefit payment.
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 (12,200) followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (11,900) and Manufacturing (7,800). Full details are at Appendices 11, 12 and 13.
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
There are 230,400 people in receipt a Pandemic Unemployment Payment of which 110,200 are female and 120,200 are male.
County Breakdown
| County | Number of people in receipt of a Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 25 August | Number of people in receipt of a Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 18 August | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 5 May | |
| Carlow | 2,600 | 2,600 | 7,800 | |
| Cavan | 3,100 | 3,100 | 9,700 | |
| Clare | 5,000 | 5,100 | 14,600 | |
| Cork | 21,700 | 22,100 | 61,900 | |
| Donegal | 7,000 | 7,200 | 22,700 | |
| Dublin | 80,100 | 80,500 | 174,200 | |
| Galway | 12,100 | 12,400 | 32,300 | |
| Kerry | 7,100 | 7,200 | 22,200 | |
| Kildare | 11,400 | 11,200 | 26,100 | |
| Kilkenny | 3,500 | 3,500 | 10,600 | |
| Laois | 3,400 | 3,300 | 8,600 | |
| Leitrim | 1,400 | 1,400 | 4,100 | |
| Limerick | 8,900 | 9,000 | 22,300 | |
| Longford | 1,600 | 1,600 | 4,500 | |
| Louth | 6,900 | 7,000 | 17,300 | |
| Mayo | 5,400 | 5,500 | 16,400 | |
| Meath | 9,200 | 9,300 | 25,000 | |
| Monaghan | 2,800 | 2,800 | 8,200 | |
| Offaly | 3,400 | 3,300 | 8,900 | |
| Roscommon | 2,400 | 2,400 | 7,100 | |
| Sligo | 2,700 | 2,700 | 7,700 | |
| Tipperary | 6,700 | 6,700 | 18,800 | |
| Waterford | 4,800 | 4,900 | 14,100 | |
| Westmeath | 4,000 | 4,100 | 11,700 | |
| Wexford | 6,000 | 6,100 | 20,500 | |
| Wicklow | 6,900 | 7,000 | 18,700 | |
| County not included | 300 | 400 | 2,000 | |
| Total | 230,400 | 232,400 | 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 (48,700), followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (32,900) and Administrative and Support Service activities (23,600). The largest weekly drop was in Accommodation and Food Service activities (600).
Sector Breakdown
| Industrial Sector | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 25 August | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 18 August | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 5 May |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 3,200 | 3,200 | 8,600 |
| Manufacturing | 12,500 | 12,600 | 37,400 |
| Electricity, gas supply; Water supply, sewerage and waste management | 900 | 900 | 2,100 |
| Construction | 17,500 | 17,400 | 79,300 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 32,900 | 33,100 | 90,300 |
| Transportation and storage | 9,600 | 9,700 | 17,900 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 48,700 | 49,300 | 128,500 |
| Information and communication activities | 6,800 | 6,900 | 11,800 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 6,000 | 6,100 | 12,500 |
| Real Estate activities | 3,500 | 3,500 | 8,100 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 11,700 | 11,800 | 24,800 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 23,600 | 23,600 | 45,800 |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 5,600 | 5,700 | 14,400 |
| Education | 14,400 | 14,600 | 22,000 |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 9,900 | 10,000 | 22,500 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 6,300 | 6,400 | 14,200 |
| Other Sectors | 10,300 | 10,400 | 39,200 |
| Unclassified or unknown | 7,000 | 7,400 | 18,600 |
| Total | 230,400 | 232,400 | 598,000 |
Appendix 3 – Pandemic Unemployment Payment - Age Profile
| Age category | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 25 August | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 18 August |
| < 25 | 47,200 | 47,700 |
| 25-34 | 52,000 | 52,300 |
| 35-44 | 51,400 | 51,700 |
| 45-54 | 43,800 | 44,100 |
| 55+ | 36,000 | 36,600 |
| Total | 230,400 | 232,400 |
Appendix 4 – Pandemic Unemployment Payment Rates breakdown by gender
There are 60,800 people receiving €203 this week, while the remainder (169,600) are receiving a payment of €350.
| Gender | Number of people in receipt of €350 on 25 August | Number of people in receipt of €203 on 25 August |
| Male | 91,700 | 28,500 |
| Female | 77,900 | 32,300 |
| Total | 169,600 | 60,800 |
Appendix 5 – Pandemic Unemployment Payment Rates breakdown by age
| Age category | Number of people in receipt of €350 on 25 August | Number of people in receipt of €203 on 25 August |
| < 25 | 31,600 | 15,600 |
| 25-34 | 42,200 | 9,800 |
| 35-44 | 39,200 | 12,200 |
| 45-54 | 31,900 | 11,900 |
| 55+ | 24,700 | 11,300 |
| Total | 169,600 | 60,800 |
Appendix 6 – Analysis of Closed PUP payments to return to Work
Around 4,800 people who have closed their account for return to work since 15 August will receive a Pandemic Unemployment Payment tomorrow, 25 August. Of these, 2,350 are male and 2,450 are female.
County Breakdown
| County | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 25 August | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 18 August | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 11 August |
| Carlow | 50 | 100 | 100 |
| Cavan | 50 | 100 | 200 |
| Clare | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| Cork | 500 | 600 | 800 |
| Donegal | 200 | 300 | 300 |
| Dublin | 1,400 | 2,000 | 2,300 |
| Galway | 250 | 400 | 500 |
| Kerry | 150 | 200 | 300 |
| Kildare | 150 | 300 | 400 |
| Kilkenny | 100 | 100 | 200 |
| Laois | 50 | 100 | 100 |
| Leitrim | 50 | 50 | 100 |
| Limerick | 200 | 300 | 300 |
| Longford | 50 | 50 | 100 |
| Louth | 150 | 200 | 300 |
| Mayo | 150 | 200 | 200 |
| Meath | 200 | 300 | 300 |
| Monaghan | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Offaly | 50 | 100 | 100 |
| Roscommon | 50 | 100 | 100 |
| Sligo | 50 | 100 | 100 |
| Tipperary | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| Waterford | 150 | 200 | 200 |
| Westmeath | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| Wexford | 150 | 200 | 300 |
| Wicklow | 150 | 200 | 300 |
| County not included | 0 | 100 | 100 |
| Total | 4,800 | 7,000 | 8,400 |
Appendix 7 – Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments - Sector Breakdown
The top sectors from which employees closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment in the week ending 25 August are Accommodation and Food Service Activities (1,100); and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles (750), followed by Construction and Administrative and Support Service activities (400 each).
| Industrial Sector | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 25 August | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 18 August |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 100 | 100 |
| Manufacturing | 300 | 600 |
| Electricity, gas supply; Water supply, sewerage and waste management | 0 | 0 |
| Construction | 400 | 700 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 750 | 1,000 |
| Transportation and storage | 100 | 200 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 1,100 | 1,500 |
| Information and communication activities | 200 | 300 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 100 | 200 |
| Real Estate activities | 100 | 100 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 200 | 300 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 400 | 500 |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 50 | 200 |
| Education | 300 | 300 |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 300 | 300 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 100 | 200 |
| Other Sectors | 200 | 300 |
| Unclassified or unknown | 100 | 200 |
| Total | 4,800 | 7,000 |
Appendix 8 – Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments – Age Profile
| Age category | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 25 August | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment from 18 August |
| < 25 | 1,000 | 1,700 |
| 25-34 | 1,100 | 1,500 |
| 35-44 | 1,200 | 1,600 |
| 45-54 | 900 | 1,200 |
| 55+ | 600 | 1,000 |
| Total | 4,800 | 7,000 |
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, 92,300 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 49,400 are female and 42,900 are male.
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 (35,200); Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles (16,400) and Construction (9,600).
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 25 August | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment payment for return to work reasons since 18 May and receiving the TWSS on 18 August | |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 500 | 500 | |
| Manufacturing | 6,300 | 6,200 | |
| Electricity, gas supply; Water supply, sewerage and waste management | 100 | 100 | |
| Construction | 9,600 | 9,400 | |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 16,400 | 16,900 | |
| Transportation and storage | 1,200 | 1,200 | |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 35,200 | 34,800 | |
| Information and communication activities | 700 | 700 | |
| Financial and insurance activities | 600 | 600 | |
| Real Estate activities | 1,200 | 1,300 | |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 2,200 | 2,200 | |
| Administrative and support service activities | 2,300 | 2,400 | |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 500 | 400 | |
| Education | 1,200 | 1,200 | |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 2,700 | 2,600 | |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 2,800 | 2,900 | |
| Other Sectors | 8,600 | 8,600 | |
| Unclassified or unknown | 200 | 100 | |
| Total | 92,300 | 92,100 |
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 25 August |
| < 25 | 21,600 |
| 25-34 | 22,300 |
| 35-44 | 22,700 |
| 45-54 | 15,900 |
| 55+ | 9,800 |
| Total | 92,300 |
Appendix 11 - Analysis of COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit
There are 56,200 people medically certified for receipt of a COVID-19 related Illness Benefit payment, of whom 31,300 are female and 24,900 are male.
For 1,800 people the date of their first certificate was issued in August 2020, of which 173 have been certified for COVID-19.
1,011 people are currently in receipt of the payment.
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 | 25 August |
| Before March 2020 | 200 (7) |
| March 2020 | 31,100 (993) |
| April 2020 | 14,500 (2,027) |
| May 2020 | 5,000 (768) |
| June 2020 | 1,500 (128) |
| July 2020 | 2,100 (137) |
| August 2020 (to date) | 1,800(173) |
| Total | 56,200 (4,233) |
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 25 August | Number of people who are medically certified for receipt of Enhanced Illness Benefit on 18 August | |
| Carlow | 800 | 700 | |
| Cavan | 1,400 | 1,400 | |
| Clare | 1,000 | 1,000 | |
| Cork | 6,400 | 6,200 | |
| Donegal | 1,250 | 1,200 | |
| Dublin | 16,100 | 15,800 | |
| Galway | 3,350 | 3,300 | |
| Kerry | 1,200 | 1,100 | |
| Kildare | 3,000 | 2,900 | |
| Kilkenny | 1,100 | 1,100 | |
| Laois | 1,000 | 1,000 | |
| Leitrim | 200 | 200 | |
| Limerick | 2,000 | 1,900 | |
| Longford | 500 | 500 | |
| Louth | 1,700 | 1,700 | |
| Mayo | 1,400 | 1,400 | |
| Meath | 2,200 | 2,100 | |
| Monaghan | 900 | 900 | |
| Offaly | 1,000 | 1,000 | |
| Roscommon | 900 | 900 | |
| Sligo | 500 | 500 | |
| Tipperary | 1,800 | 1,800 | |
| Waterford | 1,700 | 1,700 | |
| Westmeath | 1,000 | 1,000 | |
| Wexford | 1,800 | 1,800 | |
| Wicklow | 1,700 | 1,700 | |
| Other (NI & Foreign Address) | 300 | 300 | |
| Total | 56,200 | 55,100 |
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 (12,000), followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (11,700) and Manufacturing (7,600).
Sector Breakdown
| Industrial Sector | Number of people who are medically certified for receipt of Enhanced Illness Benefit on 25 August | Number of people who are medically certified for receipt of Enhanced Illness Benefit on 18 August | |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 500 | 500 | |
| Manufacturing | 7,800 | 7,600 | |
| Electricity, gas, steam supply; Water supply; Sewerage, waste management | 300 | 300 | |
| Construction | 2,200 | 2,100 | |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 11,900 | 11,700 | |
| Transportation and storage | 2,200 | 2,200 | |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 2,400 | 2,300 | |
| Information and communication activities | 900 | 900 | |
| Financial and insurance activities | 2,300 | 2,300 | |
| Real Estate activities | 500 | 500 | |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 1,800 | 1,800 | |
| Administrative and support service activities | 5,500 | 5,500 | |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 2,200 | 2,200 | |
| Education | 900 | 900 | |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 12,200 | 12,000 | |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 400 | 300 | |
| Other Sectors | 1,700 | 1,600 | |
| Unclassified or unknown | 500 | 400 | |
| Total | 56,200 | 55,100 |
Appendix 13 – Enhanced Illness Benefit - Age Profile
| Age category | Number of people medically certified to receive Enhanced Illness Benefit on 25 August |
| < 25 | 6,600 |
| 25-34 | 13,700 |
| 35-44 | 15,850 |
| 45-54 | 11,900 |
| 55+ | 8,150 |
| Total | 56,200 |