THE number of people in Donegal receiving a Pandemic Unemployment Payment has halved in the last two months.
Today, there were 11,400 people in the county issued with a PUP from the Department of Social Protection, compared with 22,700 on May 5.
The figures released today shows a decrease of 3,300 people from last week.
The Department of Social Protection issued payments valued at €106.8m to 345,600 people for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).
This represents a decrease of 67,300 on the 412,900 people paid last week, the largest weekly decrease to date and a decrease of 252,400 since 5th May when 598,000 people received the payment.
In the past seven days, 44,400 people have closed their claim for a Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Some 19,800 will be receiving their final payment tomorrow.
Minister for Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands, Heather Humphreys said: “It is heartening to see that the phased approach set out in the Roadmap to Recovery is now being reflected in the number of people returning to work.
“Today’s figures are reassuring for employees, businesses and communities throughout the State as they clearly show people getting back to work with a significant fall in the number of people in every county receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
“ A further 44,400 people have closed their claims in the past week with 36,600 of these confirming that they are returning to work.
“I am particularly pleased to see that the number of employees in the Accommodation and Food service area who are back in work again being supported by the Government’s Temporary Wage Subsidy scheme. This number has increased from 8,100 last week to 22,000 this week.”
As well as those availing of the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, there are now over 66,900 employers who have registered with the Revenue Commissioners for the Temporary Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS).
An estimated 405,000 employees are currently being supported by the scheme having received a subsidy in their most recent pay period.
