According to the figures, 147,485 unemployment benefits were attributed in April, a drop of 2.5% compared to March and of 11.4% over the same period of last year.

The data also shows that in April, 139,452 sickness benefits were granted, a decline of 6.8% compared to March and a 10.7% decrease year on year.

Female beneficiaries accounted for 60.2% of the total sickness benefits, and were higher across all age groups, while the remaining 39.8% were male beneficiaries.

As for old-age Social Security pensions, 2,033,522 were processed in April, 362 fewer than in March and 1,695 more pensions compared to the same month of 2017 (an increase of 0.1%).

There were 1,077,196 old-age pensions (53% of the total) for female pensioners and 956,326 (47% of total) for male pensioners.

In April, 712,174 survivors' pensions (paid to families whose main breadwinner has died) were recorded, 35 more than in March and 3,413 fewer pensions on year (0.5% decrease).

On the other hand, disability pensions in April decreased by 0.7% compared to March to 176,361 pensions and, year on year, there were 59,943 fewer pensions, a drop of 25.4% "explained by the transfer of beneficiaries of social disability pension to the social provision for inclusion," the social security office said.