The number of people in Kerry receiving weekly pandemic social welfare payments has increased by almost 2,200.
That's according to the latest data from the Department of Social Protection
This week (up to January 5th), over 13,300 (13,323) people in Kerry are getting the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
That is up 19% or 2,124 compared to December 22nd when 11,200 (11,199) people in the county got PUP as they had lost their job due to the pandemic.
Although it marks a significant jump, it is still far below the peak of 22,200 on May 5th last.
59 people in Kerry informed the department they were closing their PUP payment this week and returning to work; that is down from 643 on December 22nd.
The number of Kerry people on the Enhanced Illness Benefit due to having COVID-19 or self-isolating continues to rise.
This week, 2,291 people got the payment; that's up 51 from the December 22nd figure of 2,240.
