- Jobseekers Pay-Related Benefit now accounts for 17.8% of the Live Register
On 7th November, 2025, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) released the Live Register figures for October 2025. There were 170,000 people on the Live Register (seasonally adjusted), an increase of 2,000 people from the same month last year. Looking at the Register from a gender and age perspective: women account for 44.6% of the Live Register and young people, aged under 25 years, account for 11.9%.
Over the year, the number of people on the Live Register for less than one year has increased by 5.5% to 112,563 people and account for 67.9% of those on the Live Register. Women account for 46.8% and young people for 14.0% of this part of the register.
53,296 people were on the Live Register for more than a year, a decrease of 6.6% on October 2024. Looking at this part of the Register from a gender and age perspective, women account for 42.1% and young people 7.4%. Exploring the issue of duration further, 48.3% of the people on the Live Register for more than a year have been on it for at least three years.
Introduction of Jobseekers Pay-Related Benefit
The new social welfare payment, called Jobseekers Pay-Related Benefit (JPRB), was opened early this year. In the October Live Register, 29,493 people were on this benefit, accounting for 17.8% of the live register.
Activation Programmes - September
In September 2025 there were 34,057 participants in activation programmes, a decrease of 0.1% since September 2024.
Education and Training Participation
The number of people participating in education and training programmes was 7,486, a decrease of 7.8% compared to September 2024. The number of people participating in SOLAS Full-time Training for Unemployed People has seen a decrease of 7.5% to 4,206 people. The number of people on the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) decreased by 36.7% to 900 participants; and the number of people receiving the Back to Education Allowance increased by 10.9% to 2,380 in September 2025.
Employment Programmes
The number of people participating in employment programmes increased by 2.3% to 26,571.
Community Employment remains the largest programme with 19,480 participants in September 2025 – 337 more participants than a year ago. The next biggest employment programme is TÚS - Community Work Placement Initiative, with 4,497 participants, an increase of 78 people from September 2024. The third largest employment programme is the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme with 1,857 participants, a drop of 4% over the year.
The Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP) has 279 participants, an increase of 137 from September 2024. The Part-time Job Incentive Scheme (PTJIS) has increased to 81 participants and the Short-term Enterprise Allowance has also increased its numbers, with 377 people participating in September 2025.