2,300 additional people in Kerry claiming COVID-19 welfare payments this week

2,326 more people in Kerry are getting COVID-19 welfare payments this week.

According to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, 13,103 people in Kerry are receiving either the Pandemic Unemployment Payment or Enhanced Illness Benefit.

The 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 paid out €85 million across the country to 296,000 people; this is up over 52,000 people in the past week.

In Kerry, 11,246 people are getting the Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week; that’s up 2,218 on last week, a 25% increase.

Among them are 49 people who have informed the Department they’re returning to work and have closed their payment this week.

At its peak on May 5^th, 22,200 people were claiming PUP in Kerry.

The other COVID welfare scheme is the Enhanced Illness Benefit, which is paid to people medically certified as having coronavirus or who are self-isolating.

There are 1,857 people in Kerry receiving that payment this week, an increase of 108 on last week.