Inactivity Trailblazer Scheme extended with a further £10million for Greater Manchester

Across the UK, more than 9 million people are economically inactive- shut out from the workforce not because they lack ambition, but because they face real, often invisible barriers to work. For too long, unemployment has been treated as a one-dimensional issue. But if we want real change, we must address all of the factors that are holding people back: poor mental health, low confidence, isolation, and systems that were never built with them in mind.

Across the country, thousands more people will be helped back towards employment with the Government’s expansion of the Inactivity Trailblazer programme. Support will range from peer-to-peer support groups to mental health support thanks to an £80 million funding package for local authorities- with an additional £10 million investment in Greater Manchester.

Unlike traditional employment support, inactivity trailblazers empower local areas to design tailored solutions that tackle the root causes of economic inactivity.

New support that can be offered to Stockport residents 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 more people closer to the labour market.

Those who benefit from the trailblazer support face complex, often deeply personal barriers to work. 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.

This approach recognises that behind every unemployment or inactive statistic is a real person with real potential. With the right support, everyone deserves the chance to build a better future through meaningful work.

This major funding boost forms part of a wider Government effort to unlock opportunity, improve living standards and drive growth as part of the Plan for Change.