Press release
Update on payments awarded for COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Enhanced Illness Benefit
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
Today, the Department of Social Protection issued payments valued at €97 million to 313,800 people for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). This represents a decrease of 31,800 on the 345,600 people paid last week and a decrease of almost 100,000 in the past two weeks.
In the past seven days, 28,700 people have closed their claim for a Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Some 13,100 will be receiving their final payment tomorrow, 21 July.
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.
Again, this week, the largest cohort returning to work is aged between 35 and 44.
Minister for Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands, Heather Humphreys, TD, today said:
“This week’s figures show that increasing numbers of people are returning to work as businesses large and small throughout the entire country emerge from the COVID-19 health crisis.
"This week, I will be announcing initiatives under the government’s July Stimulus package aimed specifically at enabling people to move back into employment. I have been working closely with the officials in my department and my colleagues in Government on developing a suite of measures that will stimulate the economy and provide supports to businesses.
"A key element of the package will be enhancing the supports available to people who have lost employment during this pandemic to assist them back into work as quickly as possible.”
Ms Humphreys added:
“While I am very pleased with the weekly statistics on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment showing that more people are continuing to return to work, I would like to give a word of caution. It is absolutely critical that we heed the advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team as everyone is eager to move ahead. Now is not the time to become complacent and we must continue to follow the advice of NPHET."
As well as those availing of the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, there are now over 67,700 employers who have registered with the Revenue Commissioners for the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS). An estimated 415,000 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 220,900 people who were reported on the Live Register as of the end of June. All COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments issued will be in recipients’ bank accounts or at their local post office tomorrow, Tuesday 21 July.
Monday 20 July represents the final deadline for those remaining PUP recipients who have yet to confirm their continued eligibility for PUP. They can do this online and must do so today, Monday 20 July, this is the final deadline. Failure to do so will affect their continued entitlement to receive a payment.
To do so, recipients should use the online portal www.MyWelfare.ie and follow the instructions under the heading ‘continue eligibility to receive Pandemic Unemployment Payment’. This is the simplest and easiest way to do so. Any person who experiences difficulty in doing this should contact the helpline 1890 800 024 (Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.)
This is the third week of the two-tiered payment structure for people receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment:
Some 87,500 people will receive the €203 rate of payment this week which is 8,300 fewer than last week. The majority of people - 226,300 - will continue to receive the €350 rate of payment which is 23,500 fewer than last week.
Any 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:
Any person who requires further information in relation to the rate change, including how it is calculated and information on requesting a review, can contact the department’s Income Support Helpline at 1890 800 024.
In the past week, some 28,700 people closed their claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment of which 21,800 reported that they were returning to work. Of those 21,800 returning to work, some 13,100 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 (6,500); Wholesale and Retail Trade, Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles (2,800); and Construction (2,100). A full breakdown of the sectors in this area is set out at Appendix 7 below.
Looking at the age profile of employees returning to work this week, the largest cohort are those aged 35-44 with 5,200 returning to employment, followed by those employees aged 25-34 (5,000). This is followed by 4,800 in the under 25 age group and 4,000 aged 45-54, all of whom are 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 (18th May) and who are currently availing of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) has increased to 70,400 compared to 69,600 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 257,800 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).
There are now over 67,700 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.
To date 52,600 people under age 66 have been medically certified for receipt of the COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit. Just over 7% (3,925) have been diagnosed with COVID-19 while almost 93% (48,675) were required to medically self-isolate.
Since the beginning of June, however, 161 people have been medically certified with having COVID-19 while 1,639 others have been medically certified because they are medically self-isolating.
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 (11,800) followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (11,200) and Manufacturing (7,100). Full details are at Appendices 11, 12 and 13.
Currently, there are 780 people receiving a COVID-19 related Illness Benefit payment from the department.
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, or for an individual to confirm their continued eligibility for the payment.
In the interests of the public health advice and the restrictions on movements 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.
ENDS
Appendices follow.
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
This week a total of 313,800 people are in receipt of a Pandemic Unemployment Payment, of which 146,500 are female and 167,300 are male.
| County | Number of people in receipt of a Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 21 July | Number of people in receipt of a Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 14 July | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 5 May | |
| Carlow | 3,700 | 4,100 | 7,800 | |
| Cavan | 4,400 | 4,900 | 9,700 | |
| Clare | 7,000 | 8,000 | 14,600 | |
| Cork | 30,600 | 33,900 | 61,900 | |
| Donegal | 10,000 | 11,400 | 22,700 | |
| Dublin | 105,800 | 114,500 | 174,200 | |
| Galway | 17,000 | 18,800 | 32,300 | |
| Kerry | 10,400 | 12,100 | 22,200 | |
| Kildare | 13,900 | 15,100 | 26,100 | |
| Kilkenny | 4,900 | 5,500 | 10,600 | |
| Laois | 4,300 | 4,700 | 8,600 | |
| Leitrim | 2,000 | 2,200 | 4,100 | |
| Limerick | 12,000 | 13,000 | 22,300 | |
| Longford | 2,300 | 2,500 | 4,500 | |
| Louth | 9,500 | 10,300 | 17,300 | |
| Mayo | 7,600 | 8,600 | 16,400 | |
| Meath | 12,500 | 13,800 | 25,000 | |
| Monaghan | 4,000 | 4,500 | 8,200 | |
| Offaly | 4,200 | 4,700 | 8,900 | |
| Roscommon | 3,400 | 3,800 | 7,100 | |
| Sligo | 3,700 | 4,200 | 7,700 | |
| Tipperary | 9,100 | 10,000 | 18,800 | |
| Waterford | 6,800 | 7,600 | 14,100 | |
| Westmeath | 5,700 | 6,300 | 11,700 | |
| Wexford | 8,800 | 9,900 | 20,500 | |
| Wicklow | 9,600 | 10,600 | 18,700 | |
| County not included | 600 | 600 | 2,000 | |
| Total | 313,800 | 345,600 | 598,000 |
The sector with the highest number of people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is Accommodation and Food Service Activities (70,500), followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (43,500) and Administrative and Support Service activities (29,600).
The largest weekly drop was in Accommodation and Food Service activities (10,300) followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade, Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles and the Construction industries falling by 4,200 and 2,500 respectively.
| Industrial Sector | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 21 July | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 14 July | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 5 May | |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 4,500 | 4,900 | 8,600 | |
| Manufacturing | 16,700 | 18,100 | 37,400 | |
| Electricity, gas supply; Water supply, sewerage and waste management | 1,200 | 1,200 | 2,100 | |
| Construction | 27,300 | 29,800 | 79,300 | |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 43,500 | 47,700 | 90,300 | |
| Transportation and storage | 11,600 | 12,200 | 17,900 | |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 70,500 | 80,800 | 128,500 | |
| Information and communication activities | 8,500 | 8,900 | 11,800 | |
| Financial and insurance activities | 7,500 | 8,100 | 12,500 | |
| Real Estate activities | 4,500 | 4,900 | 8,100 | |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 14,600 | 15,600 | 24,800 | |
| Administrative and support service activities | 29,600 | 31,200 | 45,800 | |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 7,100 | 7,500 | 14,400 | |
| Education | 17,000 | 17,800 | 22,000 | |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 12,900 | 13,800 | 22,500 | |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 8,800 | 9,800 | 14,200 | |
| Other Sectors | 15,800 | 19,300 | 39,200 | |
| Unclassified or unknown | 12,200 | 14,000 | 18,600 | |
| Total | 313,800 | 345,600 | 598,000 |
| Age category | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 21 July | Number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 14 July | |
| < 25 | 66,500 | 74,000 | |
| 25-34 | 71,500 | 79,000 | |
| 35-44 | 70,700 | 78,000 | |
| 45-54 | 58,500 | 64,200 | |
| 55+ | 46,600 | 50,400 | |
| Total | 313,800 | 345,600 |
There are 87,500 people receiving €203 this week, while the remainder (226,300) are receiving a payment of €350.
| Gender | Number of people in receipt of €350 on 21 July | Number of people in receipt of €203 on 21 July |
| Male | 124,300 | 43,000 |
| Female | 102,000 | 44,500 |
| Total | 226,300 | 87,500 |
| Age category | Number of people in receipt of €350 on 21 July | Number of people in receipt of €203 on 21 July | |
| < 25 | 44,100 | 22,600 | |
| 25-34 | 56,400 | 15,100 | |
| 35-44 | 52,600 | 18,100 | |
| 45-54 | 41,800 | 16,700 | |
| 55+ | 31,400 | 15,000 | |
| Total | 226,300 | 87,500 |
Around 21,800 people have closed their account for return to work reasons since 11 July. Of these, 11,200 are male and 10,600 are female.
| County | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment - 21 July | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment - 14 July | |
| Carlow | 300 | 500 | |
| Cavan | 400 | 600 | |
| Clare | 600 | 1,000 | |
| Cork | 2,200 | 3,900 | |
| Donegal | 800 | 1,700 | |
| Dublin | 5,700 | 9,700 | |
| Galway | 1,300 | 2,000 | |
| Kerry | 1,100 | 1,800 | |
| Kildare | 900 | 1,400 | |
| Kilkenny | 500 | 700 | |
| Laois | 300 | 500 | |
| Leitrim | 200 | 300 | |
| Limerick | 800 | 1,200 | |
| Longford | 200 | 200 | |
| Louth | 600 | 1,100 | |
| Mayo | 700 | 1,200 | |
| Meath | 800 | 1,400 | |
| Monaghan | 300 | 500 | |
| Offaly | 300 | 600 | |
| Roscommon | 300 | 400 | |
| Sligo | 300 | 600 | |
| Tipperary | 700 | 1,000 | |
| Waterford | 500 | 900 | |
| Westmeath | 400 | 700 | |
| Wexford | 800 | 1,300 | |
| Wicklow | 700 | 1,200 | |
| County not included | 100 | 200 | |
| Total | 21,800 | 36,600 |
The top three sectors from which employees closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment in the week ending 14 July are Accommodation and Food Service Activities (6,500); Wholesale and Retail Trade, Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles (2,800) and Construction (2,100).
| Industrial Sector | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment - 21 July | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment - 14 July |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 300 | 400 |
| Manufacturing | 1,200 | 1,600 |
| Electricity, gas supply; Water supply, sewerage and waste management | 100 | 100 |
| Construction | 2,100 | 2,700 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 2,800 | 4,200 |
| Transportation and storage | 400 | 600 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 6,500 | 12,400 |
| Information and communication activities | 300 | 500 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 400 | 700 |
| Real Estate activities | 300 | 500 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 800 | 1,100 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 1,300 | 1,900 |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 400 | 600 |
| Education | 600 | 1,000 |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 800 | 1,100 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 800 | 1,100 |
| Other Sectors | 2,000 | 5,100 |
| Unclassified or unknown | 700 | 1,000 |
| Total | 21,800 | 36,600 |
| Age category | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment - 21 July | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment - 14 July | |
| < 25 | 4,800 | 8,400 | |
| 25-34 | 5,000 | 8,500 | |
| 35-44 | 5,200 | 8,900 | |
| 45-54 | 4,000 | 6,500 | |
| 55+ | 2,800 | 4,300 | |
| Total | 21,800 | 36,600 |
Since the start of Phase 1 on 18 May, 70,400 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 36,400 are female and 34,000 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 (24,700); Wholesale and Retail Trade, Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles (14,000) and Construction (8,300). Details follow.
| Industrial Sector | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment for return to work reasons since 18 May and receiving TWSS on 21 July | Number of people who closed their Pandemic Unemployment payment for return to work reasons since 18 May and receiving TWSS on 14 July | |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 400 | 400 | |
| Manufacturing | 5,200 | 5,500 | |
| Electricity, gas supply; Water supply, sewerage and waste management | 100 | 100 | |
| Construction | 8,300 | 9,300 | |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 14,000 | 15,500 | |
| Transportation and storage | 900 | 1,000 | |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 24,700 | 22,000 | |
| Information and communication activities | 500 | 400 | |
| Financial and insurance activities | 400 | 400 | |
| Real Estate activities | 1,000 | 900 | |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical activities | 1,700 | 1,700 | |
| Administrative and support service activities | 1,900 | 2,000 | |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 300 | 200 | |
| Education | 800 | 600 | |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 2,100 | 2,000 | |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 1,700 | 1,500 | |
| Other Sectors | 6,300 | 5,800 | |
| Unclassified or unknown | 100 | 300 | |
| Total | 70,400 | 69,600 |
| 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 21 July | |
| < 25 | 15,900 | |
| 25-34 | 17,000 | |
| 35-44 | 17,700 | |
| 45-54 | 12,400 | |
| 55+ | 7,400 | |
| Total | 70,400 |
There are 52,600 people medically certified for receipt of a COVID-19 related Illness Benefit payment, of whom 29,400 are female and 23,200 are male.
For 1,800 of these, the date of their first certificate was issued after 1st June 2020, of which 161 were 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 | 21 July |
| Before 15/03/2020 | 3,400 (131) |
| 16/03/2020 - 22/03/2020 | 13,700 (339) |
| 23/03/2020 - 29/03/2020 | 10,600 (352) |
| 30/03/2020 - 05/04/2020 | 6,600 (419) |
| 06/04/2020 - 12/04/2020 | 3,900 (432) |
| 13/04/2020 - 19/04/2020 | 2,900 (423) |
| 20/04/2020 - 26/04/2020 | 2,900 (544) |
| 27/04/2020 - 03/05/2020 | 2,400 (468) |
| 04/05/2020 - 10/05/2020 | 1,400 (211) |
| 11/05/2020 - 17/05/2020 | 1,500 (236) |
| 18/05/2020 - 24/05/2020 | 900 (96) |
| 25/05/2020 - 31/05/2020 | 600 (112) |
| 01/06/2020 - 07/06/2020 | 300 (45) |
| 08/06/2020 - 14/06/2020 | 200 (34) |
| 15/06/2020 - 21/06/2020 | 300 (16) |
| 22/06/2020 - 28/06/2020 | 300(17) |
| 29/06/2020 - 05/07/2020 | 300(20) |
| 06/07/2020 - 12/07/2020 | 200(18) |
| 13/07/2020 - 19/07/2020 | 200(11) |
| Total | 52,600 (3,925) |
| County | Number of people who are medically certified for receipt of Enhanced Illness Benefit on 21 July | Number of people who are medically certified for receipt of Enhanced Illness Benefit on 14 July |
| Carlow | 700 | 700 |
| Cavan | 1,300 | 1,300 |
| Clare | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Cork | 6,100 | 6,000 |
| Donegal | 1,200 | 1,200 |
| Dublin | 15,200 | 15,200 |
| Galway | 3,200 | 3,200 |
| Kerry | 1,100 | 1,100 |
| Kildare | 2,500 | 2,500 |
| Kilkenny | 1,100 | 1,000 |
| Laois | 900 | 900 |
| Leitrim | 200 | 200 |
| Limerick | 1,800 | 1,800 |
| Longford | 400 | 400 |
| Louth | 1,600 | 1,600 |
| Mayo | 1,300 | 1,300 |
| Meath | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Monaghan | 800 | 800 |
| Offaly | 900 | 900 |
| Roscommon | 800 | 800 |
| Sligo | 400 | 400 |
| Tipperary | 1,800 | 1,800 |
| Waterford | 1,600 | 1,600 |
| Westmeath | 900 | 900 |
| Wexford | 1,700 | 1,600 |
| Wicklow | 1,700 | 1,600 |
| Other (NI & Foreign Address) | 400 | 400 |
| Total | 52,600 | 52,200 |
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 (11,800), followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (11,200) and Manufacturing (7,100).
| Industrial Sector | Number of people medically certified to receive Enhanced Illness Benefit on 21 July | Number of people medically certified to receive Enhanced Illness Benefit on 14 July |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying | 500 | 500 |
| Manufacturing | 7,100 | 7,000 |
| Electricity, gas, steam supply; Water supply; Sewerage, waste management | 300 | 300 |
| Construction | 2,100 | 2,100 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and motorcycles | 11,200 | 11,000 |
| Transportation and storage | 2,100 | 2,100 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| 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 | 5,200 | 5,200 |
| Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 2,100 | 2,100 |
| Education | 800 | 800 |
| Human Health And Social Work activities | 11,800 | 11,700 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 300 | 300 |
| Other Sectors | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| Unclassified or unknown | 400 | 400 |
| Total | 52,600 | 52,200 |
| Age category | Number of people medically certified to receive Enhanced Illness Benefit on 21 July | Number of people medically certified to receive Enhanced Illness Benefit on 14 July |
| < 25 | 6,100 | 6,000 |
| 25-34 | 12,700 | 12,600 |
| 35-44 | 14,800 | 14,700 |
| 45-54 | 11,300 | 11,200 |
| 55+ | 7,700 | 7,700 |
| Total | 52,600 | 52,200 |