According to the Department of Social Protection, there are many workers who are unable to go to work due to a lack of childcare triggered by Covid-19 closures and they may be eligible to claim the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
The Department through a tweet said that the workers affected by lack of childcare should engage with their employer with a view to exploring all options available to enable them to return to, or continue with, work where possible.
“Where there are no options possible they are eligible to apply for the PUP,” it said.
According to the latest figures from the Department of Social Protection within a week, the number of people receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment has soared to 400,000 from 336,000.
The 18.7% increase of 62,000 reflects the wave of business closures triggered by the reintroduction of Level 5 restrictions.
Overall, just over 588,000 people are entirely dependent on the state for income support.
Meanwhile, the number of people receiving the Covid-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit has risen fourfold over the last 7 days from 1661 to 6,412, as the number of new coronavirus cases has reached record levels.
The sectors with the largest number of PUP recipients this week are shelter and food service activities (106,387), followed by wholesale and retail trade (65,300) and administrative and support service activities (34,459).
Wholesale and retail saw a dramatic rise of almost 40% in PUP claims from 46,853 seven days ago, to 65,300 this week.
Construction saw a 39.3% increase in claims, rising from 23,080 last week to 32,151 this week.
“The number of people in this sector in receipt of PUP is expected to increase further next week following the imposing of restrictions that took effect last Friday evening.” the department said.
“The decisions taken by the Government to impose increased restrictions on sectors such as construction, retail and education were not taken lightly,” she noted.” Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys said.
She also addressed those decisions as “necessary in order to protect lives, livelihoods and our frontline workers.”
She mentioned that the PUP scheme remains open to eligible individuals including the self-employed and also explained other supports available to businesses.
“I would also strongly advise businesses to consider availing of the Employment Wage Subsidy scheme and the Covid Restrictions Support scheme administered by Revenue – during the current restrictions…”
“These are designed to protect businesses and seek to maintain the important link between businesses and their employees during these extremely difficult times,” the Minister said.
Minister Heather Humphreys said the evident rise in the number of people receiving the Covid-19 Illness Benefit was yet another demonstration of the increased presence of the virus in communities, coinciding with the increase in virus numbers.