Stuart Anderson MP has welcomed a £500 million expansion to Government’s Plan for Jobs. The multi-million expansion will enable hundreds of thousands of people to be supported with dedicated careers advice and training opportunities as we enter the next stage of our economic recovery from COVID-19.
As a local MP, Stuart has been a vocal campaigner for more personalised careers support. He has been working with Ministers at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to connect more people with opportunities which enable them to get into and progress through exciting careers. He is also organising a community jobs fair, taking place on the 5th of November. Stuart has now welcomed the expansion of the Government’s Plan for Jobs, which was announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt. Hon Rishi Sunak MP, on Tuesday, the 4th of October 2021. Stuart said that the expansion will help more people access to intensive, tailored support as they look to take the next step in their career.
In Stuart’s recent local priorities survey, over two-thirds of respondents labelled the measures in the Government’s Plan for Jobs as ‘very important.’ 82% said that efforts to get more young people into apprenticeships so that they can earn and learn at the same time were ‘very important’. Many respondents said that the further measures in the Plan were also ‘very important’, including the Lifetime Skills Guarantee (64%), Kickstart Scheme (65%), and action to provide tailored support for those out of work (67%). The expansion to the Plan for Jobs means that workers over the age of 50 can benefit from a new enhanced support package to help them to stay in and return to work. The Kickstart Scheme for young people on Universal Credit is being extended to March 2022 and the Government is extending its £3000 incentive payment for every apprentice that a business hires up until the 31st of January 2022.
The Government’s Plan for Jobs has already supported thousands of people across Wolverhampton South West. 13,700 individuals were supported through the Job Retention Scheme. Over £25 million has been paid out via the Self-Employment Income Support grant scheme. Stuart has now welcomed the extra funding, which will be worth over £500 million and will see more people developing the skills, confidence, and experience to support them into long-term, sustainable employment. The funding for each measure will be confirmed by the Chancellor during the Autumn Budget on the 27th of October. Stuart is keeping his website updated with the latest employment support via the following link: https://www.stuartanderson.org.uk/employment-support
Stuart Anderson MP said: “As our recovery from COVID-19 gathers pace, we must continue to protect and create even more jobs for local people. I want to thank the Chancellor of the Exchequer for his ongoing commitment to our city, and for recently having taken the time to visit to see how the Plan for Jobs is delivering for local people. The Government has made significant investment in Wolverhampton since it was elected in 2019. Over £900 million has been secured for the city, and thousands of jobs have been protected through the job retention schemes.
As we enter the next stage of our recovery from COVID-19, I am pleased that this support will continue with dedicated help for people of all ages at greatest risk of long-term unemployment and those embarking on a new career. The £500 million extension will further enhance support for older workers, expand the number of Kickstart opportunities, and help businesses hire more apprenticeships.”