Numbers getting COVID-19 welfare payments in Kerry up 1,900 this week

There’s been a rise of 1,929 in the number of people in Kerry getting COVID-19 welfare payments this week.

That’s according to figures from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.

They show there are 9,287 people in the county receiving either the Pandemic Unemployment Payment or the 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 €61 million across the country to 229,000 people; this is up over 23,000 since last week.

In Kerry, 7,630 people are getting the Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week; that’s up 1,861 on last week, a 32% increase, but represents a drop of 66% from the 22,200 claiming it at the peak on May 5^th.

Among them are 99 people who have informed the Department they’re returning to work and have closed their payment this week.

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 1,657 people in Kerry receiving that payment this week, an increase of 68 on last week.