Your JCP adviser will also be able to give you advice on the training and skills programmes we offer which are all designed to give you the best chance of getting your foot in the door with local employers. When you get back to work we also offer the In Work Credit of £40 a week which is designed to help with the initial transition costs of moving off benefits and back into work.

This right only applied to younger children initially. But it's worked so well that we've extended it to people caring for relatives and we're now going to also include parents with children up to 16.

Ultimately, however we need to make sure people have jobs to go to, as you rightly point out. That’s why we’ve embarked on something called Local Employment Partnerships, where over 2,000 employers have agreed with us to look to give jobs to people from disadvantaged groups, and in return we offer help such as pre-employment training or work placements, so people can prove themselves and try out the job in question.