12/01/2009

'Golden Hellos' To Get Unemployed Back To Work

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced plans for employers to receive a "golden hello" of £2,500 for every unemployed person they recruit.

The new emergency package of intensive support, will see people who have been unemployed for more than six months, receiving more personal support to find work.

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions James Purnell made the announcement at an Employment Summit led by Mr Brown today.

The proposals, which will see £0.5bn invested by DWP and DIUS over two years, will be funded by hundreds of millions pounds of new money released by the Treasury and targeted at those who have been out of the job market for six months or more.

"We will do everything we can to prevent the global recession turning into a global depression; prevent short term unemployment turning into long term unemployment; and to prevent losing your job meaning losing your home," the Prime Minister said.

"That's why we say 'invest not cut'. And that doing nothing doesn't help. It hurts more today, and worse still, it harms us for the future. For we say - invest to extend real help now to those who lose their jobs. And my message is simple: we won't give up on you; but in turn you must not give up on work, on skills, and on training."

This extra support is in addition to the £1.3 billion already being invested so that anyone who loses their job can access help and support on the first day they become unemployed and make a claim.

Speaking to employers at the Summit, James Purnell said: "The half a billion pounds announced today will be used to guarantee extra support to everyone who reaches six months unemployment - we are determined to provide real help to people in these tough times.

"Our message is simple, the longer a person is out of work the harder we will work for them."

John Wright, Chairman of the Small Business Federation, said: "We are calling on the Government to help small businesses to continue to invest in recruitment and training so they can grow stronger and more competitive, creating quality jobs and doing their bit to pull the UK out of recession as quickly as possible."

(JM/BMcC)

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