584,000 people are now receiving the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment introduced just over a month ago, according to the latest figures published by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
The latest figures indicate that 50,000 of those are receiving the €350 payment for the first time this week. Payments will be in claimants' bank accounts or at their local post office tomorrow.
Today's figures come on top of the 212,000 on the Live Register receiving standard Jobseekers' Benefit of €203 per week, making a total of 796,000 people who are totally reliant on the state for their income.