Update on payments awarded for COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Enhanced Illness Benefit

244,153 people receive Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week

An increase of 15,295 receiving PUP compared to last week

2,526 closed their PUP claim in past 7 days to return to work

€65.5 million to be paid in PUP payments tomorrow

PUP remains open to new entrants who should apply online at www.MyWelfare.ie

Increasing number of people applying for Enhanced Illness Benefit in every County

Today, the Department of Social Protection issued payments valued at €65.5 million, up from €61.4m last week, to 244,153 people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).

The number of people receiving a PUP payment this week represents an increase of 15,295 on the 228,858 people paid last week.

In the past seven days, 3,950 people have closed their claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Of these, 2,526 have reported that they were returning to work. Some 1,973 people will be receiving their final payment tomorrow, 20 October.

The sector with the highest number of people receiving a PUP payment this week is Accommodation and Food Service Activities (79,369). It is followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (31,834) and Administrative and Support Service activities (23,273).

This week’s figures are in addition to the 211,492 people who were reported on the Live Register as of the end of September. All COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments issued will be in recipients’ bank accounts or at their local post office tomorrow, Tuesday 20 October.

Commenting on the figures, Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, said:

Minister Humphreys added:

Applying for PUP

To apply for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, the easiest and quickest way is to do so online at www.MyWelfare.ie. When applying, people should provide the name of their employer and details of their last day of employment. Over 95% of people who applied for PUP last week did so online, ensuring that their payment was processed quickly.

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.

People returning to work

In the past week, some 3,950 people closed their claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment of which 2,526 reported that they were returning to work. As the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is a weekly payment paid in arrears, there is a one week lag in how closures, due to people returning to work or people making new applications for PUP, are reflected in the payment data.

This week the sector with the greatest number of employees returning to work is Accommodation and Food Service Activities (391), followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor vehicles and Motorcycles (367) and the Administrative and Support Service activities (267). A full breakdown of the sectors in this area is set out at Appendix 7 below.

Looking at the age profile, the largest number of people returning to work is in the 25-34 group, followed by those aged 35–44. Full details are available at Appendix 8.

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.

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).

Employment supports available to people returning to work

Last week Minister Humphreys announced increased supports for the self-employed who are availing of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and who are looking to restart their business. In order to reduce the risk of moving from the certainty of the PUP payment to the uncertainty of trading income, self-employed people on PUP, including those who work in the arts/entertainment industry, taxi drivers and others, can earn up to €480 per month, while retaining their full PUP entitlement.

In addition, the Minister is making the Part-Time Job Incentive scheme available to self-employed people who come off PUP or a jobseeker’s payment. This scheme allows a person to receive a partial jobseeker’s payment, while retaining employment income. This may be particularly suited in circumstances where a self-employed person’s income exceeds the €480 per month income threshold on PUP.

Employees who satisfy the relevant criteria, may claim casual (that is, part-time) jobseeker’s payments or Short-Time Work Support payments for days of unemployment, even where their employer is claiming the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme for days of employment. The normal scheme rules and application processes for casual jobseeker payments and Short-Time Work Support apply, including completion of the relevant forms by the employer to certify days of employment and unemployment.

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, or has had to close their business again temporarily, the department will continue to support these workers through payment of the PUP. New applications for PUP can be made until the end of this year.

COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit Payment

Since March, 75,015 people under the age of 66 have been medically certified for receipt of the COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit, which is an increase of 3,374 from last week and an increase of 5,749 in the past two weeks.

Today, some 3,481 people are currently in receipt of an Enhanced Illness Benefit payment.

This week again, the number of people medically certified to receive the Enhanced Illness Benefit has increased in every county, the greatest number being in Dublin, followed by Cork and Galway.

The three counties currently under Level 4, Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan have seen increases of 163, 173 and 97 people respectively medically certified to receive the payment this week.

There has also been an increase in every sector affected by the COVID-19 virus again this week. The sectors with the greatest number of people medically certified for receipt of a COVID-19 Illness Benefit payment are Wholesale and Retail Trade and Human Health and Social Work, followed by Manufacturing. Full details are at Appendices 9, 10 and 11.

ENDS

• 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 - 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

There are 244,153 people in receipt a Pandemic Unemployment Payment of which 115,831 are female and 128,322 are male.

County Breakdown

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 (79,369) followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (31,834) and Administrative and Support Service activities (23,273).

Sector Breakdown

Appendix 3 – Pandemic Unemployment Payment - Age Profile

Appendix 4 – Pandemic Unemployment Payment Rates breakdown by gender

Appendix 5 – Pandemic Unemployment Payment Rates breakdown by age

Appendix 6 – Analysis of Closed PUP payments to return to Work

Around 2,526 people who have closed their account for return to work since 11 October will receive a Pandemic Unemployment Payment tomorrow, 20 October. Of these 1,327 are male and 1,199 are female.

County Breakdown

Appendix 7 – Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments - Sector Breakdown

The top three sectors from which employees closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment in the week ending 20 October to return to work are Accommodation and Food Service Activities (391), Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles (367) and Administrative and Support Service activities (267).

Appendix 8 – Closed Pandemic Unemployment Payments – Age Profile

Appendix 9 - Analysis of COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit

To date, 75,015 people have been medically certified for receipt of a COVID-19 related Illness Benefit payment, of whom 41,499 are female and 33,516 are male.

Today, some 3,481 people are currently in receipt of an Enhanced Illness Benefit payment.

County Breakdown (based on the county recorded on the Illness Benefit certificate)

Appendix 10 – COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit - Sector Breakdown

The two sectors with the highest number of people who have been medically certified for receipt of a COVID-19 Illness Benefit payment to date are Wholesale and Retail Trade (15,988) and Human Health and Social Work (14,460), followed by Manufacturing (10,413).

Sector Breakdown

Appendix 11 – Enhanced Illness Benefit - Age Profile