The government has launched its Employability Skills programme to help unemployed people improve their skills, find a job and progress at work.

The programme has been developed especially to meet the needs of Jobcentre Plus customers, and focuses on improving their literacy, language and numeracy, find and remain in work, and ensure that they are supported to continue learning once in a job.

Skills minister David Lammy said at the launch: "It is important that low-skilled unemployed people have access to flexible training that gives them the skills employers value, to help them get jobs and progress in work. By assessing people's needs based on their skills levels, they can be given structured learning programmes tailored to their needs that help them secure sustainable employment."