Barrow and Furness MP, Michelle Scrogham, has welcomed a massive investment in Barrow and Furness to help more people into good jobs.

Almost 2,750 sick or disabled people in Cumbria will receive employment support, thanks to £11.7m in funding from Labour’s Connect to Work programme.

The scheme will deliver localised, tailored support to people who are sick, disabled or face complex barriers to work.

It provides intensive, personalised help including individual coaching from employment specialists, job matching services, and ongoing support for both participants and employers to ensure sustainable employment outcomes.

Support can include embedding work advisers in GP surgeries, putting on workshops to improve people’s confidence, or helping people with affordable childcare.

MP Michelle Scrogham said: “I am passionate about removing the barriers people face getting into work and I am really pleased about this significant funding which will provide personalised support for people in our area.

“I know there are lots of people locally who want to get into work but who struggle to find the opportunities and support they need to do so.

“That will change with this new programme as we help thousands of people back to the workplace with tailored support to tackle the issues they are facing.

“The great thing for me is that the programme will be created locally so that it will meet our needs and the specific challenges we have in Barrow and Furness.

“I will be pushing hard to make sure that this programme is accessible across the whole area including more rural areas.

“We are fortunate locally to have a growing jobs market with good jobs in a range of industries including defence, nuclear, clean energy and construction.

“It is vital that everyone has access to these opportunities so that they can reach their potential and allow our economy to thrive.”

The Connect to Work programme is voluntary.

To access support, sick and disabled people and those facing complex barriers to work can self-refer or they can be referred through various routes including healthcare professionals, local authorities, and voluntary sector partners. 

The scheme is designed and delivered locally.

Areas like the Barrow and Furness will be empowered to shape the support around what works best for our community and target funding where it’s needed most.