Pandemic sick payments increase in Carlow and Kilkenny while numbers claiming PUP fall

The number of local workers on the PUP is dropping further, but more and more people are claiming the pandemic sick pay as the effects of the Omicron wave continue.

1,697 local people were paid the Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week -584 in Carlow and 1,113 in Kilkenny.

That’s down 225 on last week.

But the number of people out sick and certified for the Enhanced Illness Benefit is up again this week to 13,773 – 5,338 of them in Carlow and 8,435 in Kilkenny.

That’s up 528 on last week and 987 from the week before.