In the North-West, between March 2022 and March 2023, GC Employment has helped 2,358 people in Greater Manchester start new jobs, engaging with a total 4,038 people across the city region through the Restart Scheme and the Working Well, Work and Health programme.

The programmes are aimed at making a lasting difference by supporting individuals to gain meaningful employment, improving their quality of life for both their families and for their communities.

Commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions, the Restart Scheme provides up to 12 months of enhanced employability support to help people find sustained employment in their local area.

People taking part in the programme are provided with tailored support from dedicated advisers to support them to access the range of services and support available to help build their confidence, wellbeing, skills and motivation. GC Employment delivers the Restart Scheme in Greater Manchester on behalf of Ingeus, the prime provider for the region.

In London, meanwhile, a year on from the launch of a scheme designed to tackle the hospitality and leisure industry’s staffing crisis in the wake of Covid-19, ‘Westminster Works’ has revealed that over 220 businesses across the borough of Westminster have been supported with recruitment and retention of new talent.

The initiative – created in partnership by Step Ahead, New West End Company, Knightsbridge Partnership and AttisTowns and funded by Westminster City Council – attracted interest from more than 7,000 potential employees in the first six weeks.

To date, over 150 people have been placed in new roles, from barista to bartender, reception manager to chef de partie all at London Living Wage rates or above. This was a key component of the Westminster Works Good Employer Pledge, which has helped to secure better job conditions and prospects for traditionally low-paid workers in the industry.

Recognised as having a ‘world-class’ hospitality and leisure offering, Westminster is home to over 3,700 restaurants, bars and cafes and a further 4,000 leisure businesses supporting around 120,000 jobs in the city.

The year milestone for the initiative comes as the latest ONS figures reveal that there are over 121,000 unfilled job vacancies in the accommodation and food services industry across the UK, one of the highest rates of any sector and still significantly higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to industry advocacy organisation UK Hospitality, staff shortages cost UK businesses £21bn in lost revenue in 2022 and led to 45% of operators reducing opening hours or closing at least one day a week.

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