17 February 2009 – 66,000 jobseekers to benefit from European cash
Jobseekers across the country will be able to access more specialised support from private providers from day one of their search for new work, thanks to the allocation of £79m of European Social Fund money, Employment Minister Tony McNulty announced today.
The extra money, first announced in December but allocated today, will go to help around 66,000 of those jobseekers who have significant barriers to getting back into work, and need extra support to find a new job.
Speaking at the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion’s Welfare to Work Conference in London, Tony McNulty said:
"This money will extend the specialised support offered by private providers to the newly unemployed.
"It will increase the number of places available, allowing Jobcentre Plus to refer more people to these schemes as soon as they lose their jobs – bringing real, substantial help to people from day one.
"At the same time everyone who has been out of work for six months will be expected to take up this additional support."
The European Social Fund money comes in addition to the £1.3bn allocated in the Pre-Budget Report to ensure Jobcentre Plus continues to deliver a first class service and the £500m announced in January to bring in an enhanced offer at six months.
Notes to Editors
- The additional European Social Fund money will be delivered by extending Welfare to Work contracts as well as through new contracts. Existing contracts will be extended from the end of the month, with new contracts expected to be in place from the end of this year.
- Regional allocations are:
Cornwall: £3m
Merseyside: £7.8m
South Yorkshire: £6.9m
North East: £5.8m
North West (excluding Merseyside): £8m
Yorkshire and the Humber (excluding South Yorkshire): £5.3m
East Midlands: £6.1m
West Midlands: £9.1m
East of England: £5.4m
London: £12.6m
South East: £5.6m
South West (excluding Cornwall): £3.5m
Media enquiries:
Press office: 0203 267 5141
Out of hours: 07659 108 883
Website:www.dwp.gov.uk
