The number of people receiving Pandemic Unemployment Payments (PUP) has increased within two weeks as the Covid-19 cases surged to record high in Ireland.
This week the Department of Social Protection issued weekly payments valued at €16.66 million to 66,905 people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
This represents an increase of 9,302 on the number of people in receipt of the payment on 21st December last.
These figures are in addition to the 164,626 people who were on the Live Register at the end of November.
All COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments was paid into recipients’ bank accounts or at their post office on Tuesday, 4th January, 2022.
The sector with the highest number of people receiving PUP this week is Accommodation and Food Service Activities (12,717) and is followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (10,832) and Administrative and Support Service activities (7,520).
Separately, there were 14,439 people in receipt of the Enhanced Illness Benefit today.
Minister Humphreys last week announced that the Department has expanded the range of documentation customers can use to apply for the Enhanced Illness Benefit.
To avail of Enhanced Illness Benefit, depending on your circumstances, the Department of Social Protection will accept:
- Text message from the HSE that you are a close contact.
- Text message from the HSE that you have a positive PCR.
- Certification from your GP that you have symptoms of Covid-19 and/or are a probable source of infection.
- Confirmation from the HSE that you have ordered an antigen test.
As more restrictions introduced to tackle the pandemic, government had reopened PUP applications since December 7th, 2021.