PUP numbers continue to go down

The number of people on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment in Cavan continues to fall according to data released by the Department of Social Protection on issued weekly payments.

In Cavan the number of people in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment on March 30 was 6,465, while the number on March 23 was 6,572. At the high point of May 4 last year the number of people in receipt of a Pandemic Unemployment Payment was 9,941.

This week, the Department of Social Protection issued weekly payments valued at €132.25 million to 443,247 people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). Nationally the number of people receiving a Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week has decreased by 6,274 compared to last week.

These figures are in addition to the 186,702 people who were on the Live Register at the end of February. All Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments issued will be in recipients’ Bank accounts or at their Post Office today, Tuesday, March 30.

Dublin is the county with the highest number of people who are receiving PUP this week at 141,621. It is followed by Cork (44,503) and Galway (23,862). All sectors have fewer people receiving PUP this week, reflecting the number of people who have closed their claims in recent weeks to return to work.

The sector with the highest number of people receiving PUP this week is Accommodation and Food Service activities (107,043), followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (71,099) and Construction (54,314).

Construction is the sector that has seen the largest decrease in the number of people receiving PUP this week, with 1,270 fewer people receiving the payment compared to last week. The Wholesale and Retail sector has seen the number of PUP recipients decrease from 72,009 last week to 71,099 this week. This is followed by the Accommodation and Food Service activities sector, which has seen the number of PUP recipients decrease from 107,905 last week to 107,043 this week. Some 48% of those in receipt of PUP are receiving the maximum rate of €350 this week.

The past seven days saw 10,567 people close their PUP claims, with 8,303 of these stating that they were doing so because they are returning to work.

Speaking today on the latest PUP figures, Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys said:

“This week, over 443,000 people are receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment from the Department of Social Protection. As the Covid-19 virus continues to affect all our lives, I want to reassure people that our Department will continue to support people who are out of work due to the Pandemic.”

Minister Humphreys conclude by saying “So there is light at the end of the tunnel. But we need to continue our efforts and listen to our public health experts. Now is not the time to let our guard down. We have come this far together and I believe that there are brighter days just across the horizon.”