Cost of living crisis: Sadiq Khan invests £2m to help Londoners gain skills for employment

The mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced a number of new measures to help Londoners gain more skills for employment.

This means that an additional 400,000 Londoners will be able to access funded training opportunities without having to prove they receive state benefits.

Another key change announced is the removal of the three-year residency requirement so that newly arrived Londoners can access job and skills support immediately.

£2million will also be invested in the No Wrong Door programme which will join up local skills and employment provision, to help more Londoners access the right support.

£1.38million of this funding is being invested in integration hubs across the capital, which will focus on supporting refugees, women, disabled Londoners, Londoners over 50 and young Londoners.

While visiting Igneus, an integration hub in Hackney, Mr Khan said: "Many Londoners are struggling as the cost of living continues to rise.

“There are huge inequalities in the labour market and not enough Londoners have the skills they need to get into good jobs or progress and earn more in their current roles.

“I’m determined to do all I can to ensure that everyone, especially those who need the most support, can access the skills and job training they need to progress in this city.

“This new funding and these changes to the adult education programme will help to ensure that we are building a better London for everyone – a safer, fairer and more prosperous city for all Londoners.”

Cllr Carole Williams, cabinet member for employment, human resources and equalities at Hackney Council, said:

"London’s economy is strong, but too many of our residents struggle to access the opportunities available in their city.

"That is partly because the employment and skills system is complex and fragmented. Londoners often struggle to access the support that best meets their needs, and services often don’t work well together.

"The central London integration hub aims to fix that.

“As part of the wider ‘No Wrong Door programme, it will seek to make the employment and skills system work together more effectively, so disadvantaged Londoners get the help they need, and move into decent work."