As part of the council’s Economic Recovery Plan, funding from the Scottish Government is being used to provide training and advice for those most affected by the economic impact of the virus.

“In North Lanarkshire we have seen a 71% increase in the number of people claiming unemployment benefits between March 2020 and January 2021,” said Lizanne McMurrich, Head of Communities.

“When the furlough scheme ends in September we expect to see unemployment rise again and evidence shows that the people most affected are those in the lowest paid, least secure and lowest skilled jobs.

“We are working with education, training and employment agencies to target affected individuals in our communities and offer the support they need to increase their skills and employment opportunities.”

Some of the target audiences for this support are families in or at risk of poverty, people who have been made redundant or are facing redundancy, young people aged 16-24 years old, the over 50s, the Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority (BAME) community and young people with mental health issues.

In addition, the council’s Financial Inclusion Team is providing debt and money advice to people taking part in employability programmes.

A key element of the council’s employability services is Routes to Work, which offers personalised support such as vocational training, assistance with childcare and travel costs as people move from benefits to employment, and one-to-one contact with a case worker during the first six months of a new job. The organisation offers particular help to families in or at risk of poverty.

“Routes to Work has a proven track record of helping individuals into sustainable employment and supporting them through any issues they may face” Lizanne McMurrich added. “The organisation will play an important role in helping North Lanarkshire residents whose jobs have been affected by the pandemic to get back to work.”

More information is available at www.facebook.com/NLanworking and www.routestowork.co.uk/.