Increase in number of people in receipt of pandemic payment in Cork

There’s been a rise in the number of people in Cork receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).

The latest figures from the Department of Social Protection show that nationally, payments valued at €99 million were issued this week up from €95.5 million last week.

The total paid in PUP to date, including this week’s payments, is €4 billion.

A total of 342,505 people are currently in receipt of the PUP, an increase of just over 12,500 on the 330,000 people paid last week.

In Cork, 34,529 will receive a PUP payment today, up from 33,062 last Tuesday.

The figure is significantly lower than last May when 61,900 people in Cork were in receipt of the payment (May 5th).

Nationally, the sector with the highest number of people receiving a PUP payment this week is Accommodation and Food Service Activities (100,994), followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (55,516) and Other Sectors such as hairdressers and beauty salons (30,141).

This week’s figures are in addition to the 203,172 people who were reported on the Live Register as of the end of October.

Commenting on the figures, Minister for Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands Heather Humphreys said: “This week’s figures show a further rise in the number of people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.

“The increase was anticipated and reflects the impact of moving to Level 5 of restrictions.

“Some €4 billion has now been paid out in PUP in total – demonstrating the Government’s commitment to supporting workers throughout this Pandemic."

The Minister continued: “I know so many people have made huge sacrifices as they continue to heed the advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

“But the fall in the number of Covid-19 cases in recent days is encouraging and gives cause for optimism ahead of the upcoming Christmas period.

“Let’s all keep going together. We brought this virus under control before. It is within our gift to do so again.” 

In the past seven days, some 3,700 people closed their PUP, 2,319 of whom stated that they were doing so because they are returning to work.

Figures from the Department also show that since March, a cumulative total of 84,803 people under the age of 66 have been medically certified for receipt of the Covid-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit.

Today, some 3,032 people are currently in receipt of an Enhanced Illness Benefit payment.

The number of people medically certified to receive the Enhanced Illness Benefit has increased in every county again this week, the greatest number being in Dublin (23,495), followed by Cork (9,220), Galway (5,197), Kildare (4,173) and Meath (3,386).

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 (18,178) and Human Health and Social Work (15,772), followed by Manufacturing (11,707).