According to the monthly Social Security statistics in January 2002 there were 184,077 people receiving unemployment benefit.

The number of beneficiaries includes data on unemployment benefit, initial and subsequent social unemployment benefit, extension of unemployment benefit and an extraordinary measure to support the long-term unemployed.

As for unemployment benefit, the number of beneficiaries reached 149,680 in August, a year-on-year decrease of 12.4% and a fall of 0.9% compared to July.

The extraordinary measure of support for the long-term unemployed declined by 12.6% compared to the previous month, comprising 2,752 people, or 397 fewer than in the previous month.

The average value of unemployment benefits processed in August was €465.22, 0.8% more than in the previous month and 1.9% more than in the same period of last year.

According to the latest figures from the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP), the number of unemployed signed up at job centres was 418,200 in August.