Number of people requiring PUP at  403,100 as Donohoe to decide on payment levels 

Cost of the PUP scheme is running at €7.3bn

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said the high level of government spending will have to be looked at. Picture: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie

The number of people requiring the pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) fell by over 13,000 this week, but remains at an elevated 403,100, as Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe insisted the Government has made no decision yet on the future level of PUP payments after June.

There were small falls only in the number of people requiring the payments from accommodation and food service, to 101,637, and to 65,984 from wholesale and retail workers — the two worst-hit areas since the onset of the crisis over a year ago.