Transformative inactivity trailblazer scheme extended as Government targets economic inactivity hotspots through joined up localised support.

• Confidence building, social support groups and mental health support are just some of the ways local areas will be able to help local people currently out of work.

• Major funding boost forms part of wider government effort to unlock opportunity, improve living standards and drive growth as part of the Plan for Change

Across the country, thousands more people will be helped back towards employment through support ranging from peer-to-peer support groups to mental health support thanks to an £80 million funding package.

Unlike traditional employment support, inactivity trailblazers empower local areas to design tailored solutions that tackle the root causes of economic inactivity – such as poor mental health, low skills, and barriers like social isolation – rather than just treating the symptoms. New support that areas can offer will include work readiness skills, employer engagement to change hiring practices and support Local Growth Plans, mental health support, confidence building social groups and skills training to move thousands more people closer to the labour market.

These groundbreaking schemes are helping to break the vicious cycle between poor mental health and unemployment by trialling initiatives that combine job support with health and skills support.

Those who benefit from the trailblazer support face complex, often deeply personal barriers to work, and the scheme is part of the Government’s wider plan to deliver national renewal focused on opportunity and respect, ensuring everyone is seen and valued.