The number of recipients of unemployment benefits in February rose 7.8% year-on-year, but fell 0.1% compared to January, totaling 197,596, according to monthly Social Security statistics.
Compared to the previous month, there were 264 fewer beneficiaries in February, but compared to the same period of the previous year, there was an increase of 14,292, according to a summary by the Strategy and Planning Office (GEP) of the Ministry of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security.
The average value of unemployment benefits was 598.46 euros in February, practically the same as in January (598.56 euros).
In the case of unemployment benefit, there was an 11.1% year-on-year increase in the number of beneficiaries in February, but a 1.2% drop in the chain, to 154,757.
The number of initial unemployment benefit recipients rose 13.3% compared to the same month last year and grew 5.7% compared to January, totaling 12,022.
The subsequent unemployment benefit covered 22,387 beneficiaries in February, a year-on-year decrease of 9.5% and a drop of 0.4% in monthly terms.
Unemployment benefits were mostly claimed by women (56.5%), corresponding to 111,556 female beneficiaries and 86,040 male beneficiaries (43.5%).
Compared to the previous month, unemployment benefits fell by 0.7% for men, but rose by 0.3% for women.
According to data released on Wednesday by the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP), the number of unemployed people registered at job centers fell 1.2% in February compared to January, interrupting a series of seven consecutive months of increases, but rose 4.9% year-on-year to 331,008.
DF // JNM
