On May 8th 2023, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) released the Live Register figures for April 2023. There were 179,001 people on the Live Register, an increase of 1,997 people on the same month last year. Looking at the Register from a gender and age perspective: women account for 46.5% of the Live Register and young people account for 10.3%.
The number of people on the Live Register for less than one year increased by 6.5% to 116,631 people, accounting for 65% of those on the Live Register. Women account for 48% and young people 12.4% of this part of the register.
62,370 people were on the Live Register for more than a year: a decrease of 5,146 people in comparison to April 2022. Looking at this part of the Register from a gender and age perspective: women account for 43.5% and young people 6.4%.
In Table A1 information is provided on the number of people ‘availing of Activation Programmes’. These figures always lag a month behind, and so in March 2023 there were 36,361 participants: 3,235 fewer people than March 2022.
The number of people participating on education and training programmes was 10,189, a decrease of 12% over the year. However, the numbers of people on the SOLAS Full-time Training for Unemployed People and the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) rose by 6.3% over the year to 6,785 participants. While the numbers of people receiving the Back to Education Allowance dropped by 34% to 3,404 in March 2023.
The number of people participating on employment programmes decreased by 6.6% to 26,172. Community Employment remains the largest programme with 18,567 participants in March 2023, a 3.4% decrease over the year. The next biggest employment programme is TÚS - Community Work Placement Initiative, with 4,371 participants, a decrease of 23% over the year. The third largest employment programme is the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme with 2,318 participants, an annual increase of 2%.
Amongst the smaller schemes, the Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP), which commenced in July 2021, has grown from 235 participants in March 2022 to 599 participants in March 2023. The Part-time Job Incentive Scheme (PTJIS) decreased by 56% over the year to 106 participants over the year, while the Short-term Enterprise Allowance dropped by 41% to 211 participants.