The closure of back-to-work schemes across England due to the end of funding from the EU is a devastating blow to the most vulnerable members of society. As Liz Tapner MBE, the chief executive of the Lancashire social enterprise network Selnet, says, “It might be somebody homeless, a woman who’s escaping domestic violence, somebody that is just so exasperated by the debt, they’ve got themselves into they can’t see the wood for the trees.”
Although the government’s recent decision to allow councils to use their shared prosperity fund (SPF) allocations to fund job schemes is a step in the right direction, it’s too little too late for many councils and charities who have already wound down their schemes and laid off staff. This funding gap means that people struggling to make ends meet will find it even harder to return to the workforce without this essential support.
As we face this challenging time, it’s important to remember the people most impacted by the loss of funding for these back-to-work schemes. These programs were designed to help the economically inactive, disabled people, and the over-50s, all facing significant challenges when finding meaningful work.
At times like these, we must come together as a community to find solutions to help these individuals get back on their feet and find meaningful employment. I urge the government to take swift action to provide the funding required to help those most in need, and I call on all of us to support our local communities in any way we can during these challenging times.
For more information on this issue, please read this article from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/mar/26/back-to-work-schemes-england-previously-funded-eu-forced-close.