The number of jobseekers who had their social welfare payments cut for failing to engage with employment services more than doubled last year, records show.More than 11,000 people had their payments reduced by the Department of Social Protection for a variety of reasons. The total increased from 4,838 in 2024, a rise of 129 per cent, as the department sought to crack down on those in receipt of payments who were not co-operating with welfare offices.Payments can be reduced by around a third for those who fail to engage, with the most common weekly sum of €254 brought down to a penalty rate of €164.A breakdown of cases for 2025 shows that 3,717 people were deemed to have “without good cause” failed to attend follow-on appointments having failed to appear for at least one previous “activation appointment”.A further 4,986 people had their payments reduced for failing to attend an activation review meeting having already missed at least one previous appointment.There were 2,144 cases where a person’s payment was reduced for missing meetings around other job activation schemes.Seventeen people were penalised for not completing education, training or development courses “without good cause”, the records show. There were 45 cases where somebody lost some of their benefits due to dropping out of a prescribed employment scheme.The department also cut welfare payments for 23 people who failed to agree actions on their personal progression plan.Others were penalised for refusing to take part in education or training, or prescribed employment schemes, according to records released under the Freedom of Information Act.[ Welfare system needed stronger ‘trigger’ to force unemployed to engage with employment servicesOpens in new window ]The vast majority of people who had their benefits decreased (10,097) were in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance. Another 694 were on Jobseeker’s Benefit, while a smaller number were being paid through transitional schemes or a scheme for the self-employed.“Reduced rates were introduced as a means of encouraging jobseekers to engage proactively with Intreo Employment Services and to avail of the employment supports available to assist them in securing employment,” the department said in response to queries about the figures. “A reduced rate is a final step in a process to encourage a jobseeker to avail of the employment supports on offer and once a jobseeker resumes engagement with the employment support service, the reduced rate is lifted immediately.”The department added that application of a reduced rate and the duration of that were “totally within the control” of the person concerned.