PUP payments in Cork on the decline

Just over 9,000 people in Cork are in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) this week, down 448 individuals on last week (9,754).

Nationally this week, the Department of Social Protection issued weekly payments valued at €27.5 million to 106,245 people, representing a fall of 4,525 compared to last week.

The greatest reduction this week is in the Accommodation and Food Services sector.

The PUP figures published this week are in addition to the 179,761 people who were on the Live Register at the end of August.

All Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments have been paid into recipients’ bank accounts or at their Post Office today.

Commenting today, Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys said:

“Today’s figures mean that the number of people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment has now fallen for 33 consecutive weeks.

“And since February of this year, the number of young people under the age of 25 who were claiming the PUP has reduced by over 90 per cent.

“We now have nearly half a million fewer people claiming the PUP compared to the peak of the virus last year – demonstrating the huge progress that has been made in terms of rolling out our vaccination programme, re-opening the economy and getting people back to work.

The Minister continued: “A range of supports have been put in place, under our ‘Pathways to Work Strategy’, in terms of giving people the advice, training, work experience and skills they need to find good quality employment.

“I’d really encourage anyone who is looking to find a new job to contact his/her local Intreo office. At the end of the day, my Department is here to help and to support people to enter or re-enter the workplace.” The payment week for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment runs from Friday to Thursday and payments are paid on the following Tuesday. Individuals who have closed their PUP by Monday 27th September, as they have returned to work, will receive their final PUP payment on Tuesday 5th October.

Another Government payment, the Enhanced Illness Benefit which is paid from the first day of illness and is for employees or self-employed people who contract Covid-19 or who are medically certified by their doctor to self-isolate, has also seen a national reduction in recipients.

This week some 2,012 people are in receipt of an Enhanced Illness Benefit payment, compared with 2,213 last week.

The quickest and easiest way to apply for Enhanced Illness Benefit is through www.MyWelfare.ie.