To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobs are proposed to be created by bids for the Future Jobs Fund in total. (283571)

The Future Jobs Fund will create 150,000 new jobs, of which we will specifically target 50,000 in areas of high unemployment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the procedure will be for (a) individuals and (b) businesses to apply for funding from the Future Jobs Fund. (286631)

The Future Jobs Fund is a fund of around £1 billion to support the creation of jobs for long-term unemployed young people and others who face significant disadvantage in the labour market.

Bids for funding can come from anyone, but we have a strong preference for partnership bids. We expect the majority of bids to the Future Jobs Fund to be led by local authorities, sub-regional, city region and local partnerships, or by national or local public sector and third sector bodies. We published the invitation to bid on 13 May, and had received over 200 bids by 30 June, which we are currently assessing. Up-to-date guidance on how to bid is available from the Future Jobs Fund website at:

www.dwp.gov.uk/futurejobsfund

We expect that in most cases eligible candidates will be referred to employers by Jobcentre Plus. In some cases individuals may self-present to the employer, or may be identified by them directly. In these situations, Jobcentre Plus will need to confirm an individual’s eligibility. Future Jobs Fund employers will be encouraged to sign a local employment partnership with Jobcentre Plus.