The Department of Social Protection has issued payments valued at €84m to 262,500 people for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).

This represents a decrease of 150,400 on the number of people in receipt of PUP a month ago.

The department said that in the past week 11,100 people have closed their PUP claim. Some 5,000 will be receiving their final payment on August 11.

The department issued a further reminder to people who have failed to confirm their PUP eligibility that they must do so by Friday August 14, or their payment will be suspended.

Latest data shows that there are 69,500 employers currently registered with the Revenue Commissioners for the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS). An estimated 370,000 employees are currently being supported by the scheme having received a subsidy in their most recent pay period. This is down from 405,000 a month ago.

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The TWSS is set to be scaled back from September 1, when the maximum weekly employee subsidy payable will reduce from €410 to €203.

Live Register data for July shows that the number of regular unemployment benefit claimants has increased to 244,600 people from 220,900 a month ago.

The total number of people receiving one of the above state income supports currently stands at c.877,000.

Photo: NPHET’s crazy lockdown has prevented c.3,500 pubs from trading for five months. Among the affected enterprises is Connollys on Clontarf Road in Dublin, where publican Peter Connolly (centre) is pictured with staff and family members Ross Keane, Tom Connolly, Dave Connolly, Andrew Sherwin and Gerry Connolly. (Pic: Conor McCabe)