Almost 965,000 people are on welfare support a year after the onset of the Covid crisis      

The number requiring a pandemic payment or subsidy plus those on the live register is down from 1.2m in the first lockdown

Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys, whose department released the figures showing 964,000 people on welfare support. Picture: Julien Behal/PA

Almost 965,000 people are relying on some sort of welfare from the Government this week because their job has been shut down, lost altogether, or being subsidised, a year after the onset of the Covid crisis, new Government figures show. 

There were 465,000 people needing a pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) to make ends meet this week, Department of Social Protection figures show, down by 4,000 from last week.

Comparison with first lockdown

Taken together with 309,500 people whose wages are being subsidised by the Government through their employers by way of the employment wage subsidy scheme and the 188,500 people who are on the official live register count, there are 964,000 people needing some sort of welfare at this stage of the crisis.

The figures compare with the close to 1.2 million people who relied on a Government payment at the worst of the first lockdown in late spring last year. 

Worst-hit sectors

The largest groups requiring the PUP this week include accommodation and food service at 109,150,  wholesale and retail workers at 74,150, and construction at 58,860 workers. 

There were only small falls across all these groups in the past week, the figures show. 

The 35-44 age group accounts for the largest share of people on the PUP, at 106,180. 

At 62,460, the over 55s have the fewest number on the PUP.  

Vaccines key to lifting restrictions

The Government is hoping that the delayed rollout of vaccines will in time give it room to lift the restrictions across the economy.

However, many economists say it could take until the start of 2024 before unemployment falls back to its pre-crisis level of around 5%.    

In Cork, there were 47, 010 people requiring the PUP this week, down by around 500 in the past week. 

There were 146,500 people in Dublin requiring the PUP, also down slightly in the week.