The number of benefit claimants on the Live Register has risen by a record 330,550 as a result of measures to control the spread of coronavirus. The latest figures, collated by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), show 283,037 people were receiving the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment introduced by the Government last month. This was on top of the seasonally adjusted Live Register total of 207,200 – which was up 24,400 on the February 2020 figure. Part-time workAs people with part-time work can claim benefits, the Live Register is not an accurate gauge of the unemployment rate. The crucial challenge for the Government is that we don’t let what is a temporary health emergency become a permanent economic crisis,” she said.

Source: The Irish Times April 02, 2020 10:18 UTC