The number of people in Donegal claiming Covid Pandemic Unemployment Payment increase slightly in Donegal from 12,360 on November 17th to 12,444 as recorded for tomorrow (November 24th).
This compares to 22,700 on May 5th last across the county.
This week, the Department of Social Protection has issued payments valued at €104 million, up from €103.8 million last week, to 352,078 people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).
The number of people receiving a PUP payment this week represents an increase of just over 2,000 on the 350,072 people paid last week.
The sector with the highest number of people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is Accommodation and Food Service Activities (102,777) followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (57,292) and Other Sectors e.g. hairdressers and beauty salons (31,273).
This week’s figures are in addition to the 203,172 people who were reported on the Live Register as of the end of October.
All Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments issued will be in recipients’ bank accounts or at their local post office tomorrow, Tuesday, 24th November.
Commenting on this week’s figures, Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys said “There are now over 352,000 people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, representing an increase of over 145,000 since the start of October.
“These past few weeks have not been easy. I know people are tired and just want life to get back to some normality.
“Later this week Government hopes to be in a position to consider easing restrictions from early December which will hopefully allow some people to return to work.
“In the meantime as a society, we must do everything within our power to continue to suppress this virus and to significantly reduce the rate of transmission. By working together now and in the weeks ahead, we can all play our part in ensuring that families across the country will be able to come together and celebrate this Christmas in a meaningful way.”
PUP is paid weekly in arrears with applications received up to close of business on Thursday in any week being processed for payment on the following Tuesday.
Applications received after Thursday each week, are processed as part of the following week’s claims and paid in the next week after that.
Any person, including any self-employed person, who believes that their payment rate does not accurately reflect their prior earnings, can contact the Department to request a review of earnings and forward all supporting documents, which will be matched with Revenue records.
They can contact the Department by:
– Emailing PUPRerate@welfare.ie; or
– Writing to Pandemic Unemployment Rerate Requests, DSP, Intreo Centre, Cork Road, Waterford or
– Calling the Helpline at 1890 800 024 which is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
In the past seven days, some 4,912 people closed their PUP, with over 66% (3,251) stating that they were doing so because they are returning to work.
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