The number of people on the live register or in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) fell by 9.9 per cent last month, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
In April, 556,273 people where unemployed, including those receiving PUP, while the number of people on the unadjusted live register stood at 177,969. The seasonally adjusted live register total for the month was 181,800, decreasing by 3,500 from the previous month.
The number of people claiming PUP fell dramatically as of the last week of April, with 58,036 fewer claiming the support compared to the same week in March. The figures at the end of last month also show a reduction from 220,328 people at the same time last year.
The CSO data also shows that in March of this year, 905,575 people received either unemployment benefit, PUP, or were paid as part of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS).
As of the week ending May 2nd, there were 385,211 people in receipt of PUP, 52.3 per cent of whom were men, 70.6 per cent of whom were woman, and 22 per cent were between the ages of 25 and 34.
However, these figures have now likely decreased with the further easing of Covid-19 restrictions, permitting the return of personal services such as hairdressers, barbers and beauticians, and the phased reopening of non-essential retail from today.
From May 4th, the construction sector was also permitted to fully reopen, alongside other outdoor workers, which will lead to a further fall in overall unemployment figures.
