Eight areas in England are getting millions in cash for back to work schemes

Across eight “trailblazer” regions in England, mayors and council leaders will be able to join up health, work and skills services to deliver tailored services to the needs of the area

Local leaders and mayors will get millions in new funding and new powers to help people get back to work.

Across eight “trailblazer” regions in England, mayors and council leaders will be able to join up health, work and skills services to deliver tailored services to the needs of the area.

The areas getting funding are expected to include Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, and the West Midlands, with details announced this week.

It will come in the Government’s “Get Britain Working” white paper, to be published on Tuesday by Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall.

A Labour source said the programme was a “fundamentally different approach” to helping the 2.8 million people on long-term sick in England back to work.

“Our White Paper will set out major reforms to give Mayors and local areas new funding, powers and responsibilities to drive up opportunity and down economic inactivity, building on the great work they are already doing to bring services together,” they said.

“Local leaders know their communities best, so let’s give them the power and money to use. It is only by doing things differently will we get Britain working again, and get Britain growing again.”

The White Paper will also include details of ‘Youth Guarantee’, to ensure all 18-21 year olds are earning or learning, and a reform of Job Centres that Labour says will make them “once again a proper public employment service.”