THERE HAS BEEN a significant reduction in the number of people receiving the Covid-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit. 

To date, 91,175 people have received the benefit payment. Of these, the number of people medically certified with having coronavirus is 9,334.

Figures show that just over 4,000 people received the payment in November, compared with almost 15,000 in October. 

If a worker is told to self-isolate or diagnosed with the virus, they can apply for the Enhanced Illness Benefit payment of €350 per week.

Both employees and self-employed people can qualify for the payment. Those that are  suspected of having the virus can apply for the payment if they’re told by a doctor or the HSE to self isolate. 

To qualify, a certificate of incapacity for work from a doctor must be given to support the application for the payment.

The following chart shows the number of people medically certified for meeting the conditions for receipt of a Covid-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit payment, by start date entered on the medical certificate. 

The chart, produced by Statista and based on figures from the Department of Social Protection shows that in the month of March, the number of people in receipt of the benefit was at its highest, with 31,091 people receiving a payment. 

Of that figure, just over 1,000 people were medically certified as having Covid-19.

The numbers on the social welfare payment fell to just over 14,436 in April, with just over 2,000 people being certified as having the virus.

The summer months shows the lowest numbers on the payment. The numbers rose again in August and September, reaching 14,952 in October. In this month, 2,667 were certified as having the virus.

There was a significant fall-off in November, with just 4,083 getting the Covid-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit, with over 800 being medically certified as having the virus. 

Some 2,184 people are currently in receipt of an Enhanced Illness Benefit payment at the moment.

The demographic breakdown 

Up to 1 December, 24,994 of the benefit recipients were from Dublin, while 9,908 were from Cork. Some 5,560 were from Galway, followed by 4,369 from Kildare.

The lowest county in receipt of the benefit is Leitrim, with just 402 people availing of the payment to date.

The sectors with the highest number of people who have been medically certified for receipt of a Covid-19 Illness Benefit payment to date are the wholesale and retail trade and vehicle repair, with 19,521 working in these sectors.

Some 16,591 health and social workers have received the payment, with 12,654 people working in manufacturing getting the payment to date. A total of 4,143 workers in the construction sector received the payment, with 5,682 in the accommodation and food services.

Of the 91,175 people have received the payment to date, 24,888 were aged between 35 and 44 years old. A total of 13,969 were under the age of 25.

The latest figures show a further 269 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed, bringing the total number of cases in Ireland to 72,798.

Yesterday, it was announced that 18 more people have died with Covid-19 in Ireland.

Fifteen of the deaths announced today occurred in November, one in October and two are under investigation.