On the 10th August, 2026, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) released the Live Register figures for July 2026. There are 174,500 people on the Live Register (seasonally adjusted), an increase of 5,200 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 13.1%.
Over the year, the number of people on the Live Register for less than one year has increased by 6.0% to 137,103 people and account for 71.5% of those on the Live Register. Women account for 50.1% and young people for 14.9% of this part of the register.
54,477 people are on the Live Register for more than a year, a decrease of 2.7% on July 2025. Looking at this part of the Register from a gender and age perspective, women account for 40.6% and young people 8.5%. Exploring the issue of duration further, 47.8% 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 July 2025. In the July Live Register, 37,237 people are on this benefit, accounting for 19.4% of the Live Register.
Activation Programmes - June
In June 2026 there were 30,749 participants in activation programmes, a decrease of 2.4% since June 2025.
Education and Training Participation
The number of people participating in education and training programmes was 3,907, a decrease of 914 people from June 2025. The number of people participating in SOLAS Full-time Training for Unemployed People has seen a decrease of 14.6% to 3,448 people. The number of people on the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) decreased by 318 people from the previous year to 221 participants; and the number of people receiving the Back to Education Allowance remained stable, at 238 in June 2026.
Employment Programmes
The number of people participating in employment programmes remained stable over the year; there were 26,842 participants in total.
Community Employment remains the largest programme with 19,666 participants in June 2026 – 48 less participants than a year ago. The next biggest employment programme is TÚS - Community Work Placement Initiative, with 4,467 participants, a decrease of 73 participants from June 2025. The third largest employment programme is the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme with 1,861 participants, remaining stable over the year.
The Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP) has 377 participants, an increase of 105 from the previous year. The Part-time Job Incentive Scheme (PTJIS) has decreased to 60 participants, and the Short-term Enterprise Allowance has increased its numbers, with 411 people participating in June 2026.