On the 4th September, 2026, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) released the Live Register figures for August 2026. There are 173,600 people on the Live Register (seasonally adjusted), an increase of 4,400 people from the same month last year. Looking at the Register from a gender and age perspective: women account for 44.9% of the Live Register and young people, aged under 25 years, account for 13.4%.
Over the year, the number of people on the Live Register for less than one year has increased by 5.1% to 127,708 people and account for 70.0% of those on the Live Register. Women account for 48.7% and young people for 15.4% of this part of the register.
54,809 people are on the Live Register for more than a year, a decrease of 2.3% on August 2025. Looking at this part of the Register from a gender and age perspective, women account for 40.5% and young people 8.5%. Exploring the issue of duration further, 47.6% 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 Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit (JPRB), was introduced in August 2025. In the August Live Register, 36,679 people are on this benefit, accounting for 20.1% of the Live Register.
Activation Programmes - July
In July 2026 there were 29,956 participants in activation programmes, a decrease of 2.6% since July 2025.
Education and Training Participation
The number of people participating in education and training programmes was 3,133, a decrease of 801 people from July 2025. The number of people participating in SOLAS Full-time Training for Unemployed People has seen a decrease of 16.3% to 2,762 people. The number of people on the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) decreased by 235 people from the previous year to 203 participants; and the number of people receiving the Back to Education Allowance decreased by 27, to 168 participants in July 2026.
Employment Programmes
The number of people participating in employment programmes remained stable over the year; there were 26,823 participants in total.
Community Employment remains the largest programme with 19,551 participants in July 2026 – 135 less participants than a year ago. The next biggest employment programme is TÚS - Community Work Placement Initiative, with 4,989 participants, remaining stable over the year. The third largest employment programme is the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme with 1,845 participants, with a slight decrease of 23 participants over the year.
The Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP) has 376 participants, an increase of 106 from the previous year. The Part-time Job Incentive Scheme (PTJIS) has decreased to 67 participants, and the Short-term Enterprise Allowance has increased its numbers by 52%, with 438 people participating in July 2026.