The number of people on the Live Register and the Pandemic Unemployment Payment rose by 5.8% to 229,657 in December, according to the latest figures from Central Statistics Office.
A total of 66,906 people were in receipt of the PUP in the last week of December, an increase of 11,906 on the numbers in November.
But there were 308,357 fewer people in receipt of the PUP last month compared to December 2020. The PUP was reopened by the Government on December 7 last year following the reintroduction of some Covid restrictions.
Today's CSO figures show that the Live Register, when adjusted for seasonal factors, fell by 2,600 over the month to 166,300.