- Jobseekers Pay-Related Benefit now accounts for 19.9% of the Live Register
On the 2nd April, 2026, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) released the Live Register figures for March 2026. There are 171,100 people on the Live Register (seasonally adjusted), an increase of 7,700 people from the same month last year. Looking at the Register from a gender and age perspective: women account for 43.7% of the Live Register and young people, aged under 25 years, account for 12.2%.
Over the year, the number of people on the Live Register for less than one year has increased by 10.8% to 115,199 people and account for 68.5% of those on the Live Register. Women account for 45.2% and young people for 14.4% of this part of the register.
52,879 people are on the Live Register for more than a year, a decrease of 5.4% on March 2025. Looking at this part of the Register from a gender and age perspective, women account for 40.2% and young people 7.5%. Exploring the issue of duration further, 49.2% 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 introduced in March 2025. In the March Live Register, 33,425 people are on this benefit, accounting for 19.9% of the Live Register.
Activation Programmes - February
In February 2026 there were 35,936 participants in activation programmes, a decrease of 1.7% since February 2025.
Education and Training Participation
The number of people participating in education and training programmes was 9,296, a decrease of 920 people from February 2025. The number of people participating in SOLAS Full-time Training for Unemployed People has seen a decrease of 9.4% to 4,946 people. The number of people on the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) decreased by 34.2% from the previous year to 934 participants; and the number of people receiving the Back to Education Allowance increased by 3.4% to 3,416 in February 2026.
Employment Programmes
The number of people participating in employment programmes increased by 1.1% to 26,640.
Community Employment remains the largest programme with 19,666 participants in February 2026 – 97 more participants than a year ago. The next biggest employment programme is TÚS - Community Work Placement Initiative, with 4,327 participants, a similar number to February 2025. The third largest employment programme is the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme with 1,887 participants, the same number of participants as 2025.
The Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP) has 298 participants, an increase of 128 from the previous year. The Part-time Job Incentive Scheme (PTJIS) has increased to 85 participants, and the Short-term Enterprise Allowance has also increased its numbers, with 377 people participating in February 2026.