Responding to the Government plans to boost four key employment support services, Alex Veitch, Director of Policy at the BCC, said:  

“To grow the economy, we must tap into the huge pool of people who want to work but need additional help and support to find suitable jobs. 

“There are just under a million unfilled vacancies in the UK and three quarters of businesses tell us they cannot get the staff they need. This means firms cannot fulfil order books and are being forced to turn down new work.     

“This is a vicious circle where the lack of people holds back growth and reduces opportunities for investment.   

“Plans to support people suffering ill health could make a real difference, but there must be a focus on getting them into work they want to do. Getting this right could help fill hundreds of thousands of jobs and provide a big boost to the economy.”