Thirteen London boroughs are working with the European Social Fund (ESF) to deliver more than £8m to projects seeking to help Londoners into paid work.

Nineteen different projects will receive the funding under the ESF framework, which matches funding by the boroughs to double the amount of money available to help organisations working to improve employment in their local area.

Funded projects include a scheme to help unemployed parents into employment, and a scheme to provide individuals with mental health, physical or learning disabilities with the skills and support they need to access the job market.

Councillor Lynne Hillan, chairman of London Councils’ Grants Committee, says: “In these financially turbulent times when thousands could be at risk of losing their jobs, it will become increasingly important that we do more to help people gain access to – and stay in – paid work.

“Working with ESF, these boroughs are going the extra mile for their residents and ensuring a host of schemes designed to get more Londoners back to work will receive the funding they need.”