Update on Payments Awarded for Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Enhanced Illness Benefit - 8th February 2022

67,400 people receive PUP this week, decrease of almost 8,000

Over €9.1 billion paid in PUP to date

Over 18,000 people received Enhanced Illness Benefit for week 28th January to 3rd February 2022, down from 31,000 in the previous week

Almost €236 million paid out to date on Enhanced Illness Benefit

This week, the Department of Social Protection issued weekly payments valued at €16.96 million to 67,434 people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.

This represents a decrease of 7,979 on the number of people in receipt of the payment last week. In addition, a further 4,881 people, who are receiving payment today, closed their PUP claim between 31st January and 6th February, 2022.

These figures are in addition to the 162,578 people who were on the Live Register at

the end of January.

All COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments have been paid into recipients’ bank accounts or at their Post Office today, Tuesday, 8th February 2022.

The sector with the highest number of people receiving PUP this week is Accommodation and Food Service Activities (14,765) and is followed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (10,741) and Administrative and Support Service activities (7,347).

Commenting today, Minister Humphreys said:

“Without doubt, the PUP has acted as a vital support since the onset of this Pandemic, having cushioned the incomes of hundreds of thousands of workers.

“In fact, over €9.1 billion has been paid out in PUP payments since the support was introduced.

“With the economy now fully re-open, it is welcome to see the number of people receiving the PUP fall over the past seven days, with further decreases expected in the weeks to come.

“In the meantime, we will continue to roll-out the suite of supports under the Government’s Pathways to Work Strategy, which will be key as we embark on our recovery from Covid-19.”

Having re-opened for workers who had been impacted by the restrictions in early December, PUP closed for new applications on 22nd January 2022 in line with the Government decision to lift these restrictions.

The next phase in the process of transitioning people from PUP onto standard jobseeker terms, which was due to commence at the end of January was deferred for a period of 4 weeks. It is intended that PUP will be fully closed by the end of March. The Department will contact all PUP recipients in the coming days to explain how the transition process affects them and the steps they may need to take to ensure a smooth transition.

Enhanced Illness Benefit (EIB)

Enhanced Illness Benefit claims are paid on the day they are authorised so payments issue every day during the week. During the period 28th January to 3rd February 2022 (the latest PUP payment week), some 18,254 people received the EIB payment from the Department valued at €7 million. The total amount paid in EIB to date is €235.9 million.

Minister Humphreys recently announced that the Department of Social Protection has expanded the range of documentation customers can use to apply for the Enhanced Illness Benefit.

To avail of Enhanced Illness Benefit, depending on the circumstances of the person applying for the payment, the Department of Social Protection will accept:

• Confirmation from the HSE that you are positive for COVID-19 either through a RT-PCR test or having registered a positive antigen test or a close contact
• Certification from your doctor that you have symptoms of COVID-19 and/or are a probable source of infection
• Confirmation from the HSE that you have ordered an antigen test kit or have booked a RT-PCR test

Full information on applying for Enhanced Illness Benefit is available here. here.

The most recent tables relating to PUP and EIB are available in the Appendices below.