Leeds City Council is welcoming the announcement that it is set to receive £2.3million of funding to help more people find and maintain work.

The funding is administered through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority as part of the response to central government’s Get Britain Working reforms.

A report to the council’s Executive Board outlines the intention for the funding to be used to extend and enhance the already existing Leeds Employment Hub.

The hub and associated programmes will support around 1,400 Leeds residents who are either unemployed, economically inactive or in work at risk of losing their job as a result of a disability and or long-term health condition.

The Employment Hub has its own employment advisors based in the local communities and offer individual support and guidance to support people in finding work and learning opportunities.

As part of the scheme, the aim is to open up grants for application by voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations looking to help people into employment. 

Priority will be given to projects targeting young people, residents of deprived wards, care leavers, older workers with low skill levels or physically demanding jobs, individuals with caring responsibilities, lone parents, ex-offenders, and people experiencing homelessness. 

Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, said: “We know that having a job or an apprenticeship can make huge difference to someone’s mental and physical health, and their life situation.

Our Employment Hub delivers local support across all communities in Leeds. We welcome this funding to be able to extend the service and make it even better, with a focus on supporting people with health conditions gain meaningful employment and prevent people from falling out of work.

This will help us reduce the number of people who are economically inactive, address inequalities and improve the lives of people in some of our most deprived areas.”