Number of people on pandemic payment falls by 5,100

The number of people receiving the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment has fallen by 5,100 to 219,000.

The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection said that in the last seven days over 9,200 people had closed their claim for the payment.

Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys said it was "encouraging to see more and more people close their Pandemic Unemployment Payment as they went back to work". She said the fall in the number of claims for the benefit this week was "mainly attributed to people returning to work in the education sector".

The department said the number of people receiving the payment had now fallen by 63 per cent from the 598,000 who received the benefit at its peak on May 5th.

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“In the past seven days, 9,265 people have closed their claim for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Some 6,256 will be receiving their final payment on 8th September.

“The top sector in which employees are returning to work this week is education with 1,500 going back to work, followed by accommodation and food services; and transportation and storage sectors.”

“The largest age cohort returning to work is in the 45-54 group (1,800). This is followed by 1,700 in the 35-44 age category and 1,600 aged 55 and over”, the department said.

It added that from September 17th the pandemic unemployment scheme would change with three rather than two rates of payment in place from that date.

“The rate a recipient will receive will depend on the amount they previously earned:

* If they earned over €300 per week - they will now receive €300 per week.

* if they earned between €200 and €300 per week - the rate of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will now be €250 per week; and

* If they earned less than €200 per week - the rate of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will be €203 per week (there is no change to this rate).”

The department also said that parents and guardians of students should bear in minds its back to school clothing and footwear allowance was available to provide financial support with back to school costs.