There’s been a drop of almost 13,000 in the number of people in Kerry claiming the Pandemic Unemployment Payment since the peak in May.
Just over 10,000 people in the county are availing of COVID-19 welfare payments this week, according to details from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
The €350 a week Pandemic Unemployment Payment is for employees and the self-employed who are fully out of work due to COVID-19.
This week the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection issued payments valued at €89 million to 287,000 people across the country, down 27,000 since last week, and a 52% drop on the 598,000 paid at its peak on May 5th.
In Kerry, 9,300 people are getting the Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week; that’s down 1,100 on last week, and represents a drop of almost 13,000 (12,900) since May 5th.
Among them are 600 people who have informed the Department they’re returning to work and have closed their payment this week, that’s down from 1,100 people last week.
The COVID-19 Illness Benefit, also paid at a rate of €350 a week, is for people who have been medically certified to self-isolate or have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
In Kerry, 1,100 people are getting this payment this week, the same as last week.
