On June 2nd 2023, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) released the Live Register figures for May 2023. There were 176,999 people on the Live Register, an increase of 5,096 people on the same month last year. Looking at the Register from a gender and age perspective: women account for 46.4% of the Live Register and young people account for 10.5%.
The number of people on the Live Register for less than one year increased by 7% to 113,731 people, accounting for 64% of those on the Live Register. Women account for 48% and young people 12.7% of this part of the register.
63,268 people were on the Live Register for more than a year: a decrease of 2,410 people in comparison to May 2022. Looking at this part of the Register from a gender and age perspective: women account for 44% and young people 6.5%. Exploring the issue of duration further, 55% of the people on the Live Register for more than a year have been on it for at least three years. Women account for 41% of this group and young people 3%.
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 April 2023 there were 36,602 participants: 2,263 fewer people than April 2022.
The number of people participating on education and training programmes was 10,432, a decrease of 7% 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 15.7% over the year to 7,104 participants. While the numbers of people receiving the Back to Education Allowance dropped by 34.5% to 3,328 in April 2023.
The number of people participating on employment programmes decreased by 5.3% to 26,170. Community Employment remains the largest programme with 18,489 participants in April 2023, a 2.9% decrease over the year. The next biggest employment programme is TÚS - Community Work Placement Initiative, with 4,429 participants, a decrease of 19% over the year. The third largest employment programme is the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme with 2,313 participants, a slight decrease over the year.
Amongst the smaller schemes, the Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP), which commenced in July 2021, has grown from 250 participants in April 2022 to 627 participants in April 2023. The Part-time Job Incentive Scheme (PTJIS) decreased by 36% over the year to 110 participants, while the Short-term Enterprise Allowance dropped by 45.6% to 202 participants.