THE DEPARTMENT OF Social Protection said it has issued €144.59 million to 481,331 people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).

The number of people receiving the payment this week represents an increase of 1,698 (0.35%) on the 479,633 people paid last week.

These figures are in addition to the 188,543 people who were on the Live Register at the end of January.

The sector with the highest number of people receiving PUP this week is accommodation and food service activities (111,872). This is followed by wholesale and retail trade (76,606) and construction (62,902).

Around 50% of those receiving PUP are on the maximum rate of €350 per week.

Dublin is the county with the highest number of people who are receiving PUP this week at 149,534. It is followed by Cork with 49,195, and then Galway with 25,603.

The past seven days saw people from every county close their PUP claims as they were returning to work.

Overall, 10,945 people closed their PUP claim, with 8,273 of these stating that they were doing so because they are returning to work.

Speaking today, Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys said: “The number of new claims for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is continuing to level off again this week with fewer people applying for the payment.

“The enormous sacrifices made by people are paying dividends. They are helping greatly to suppress the virus as well as helping to ease the intense pressure that our frontline workers are under as they work tirelessly to care for those infected by the virus.”