Former SSI workers to benefit from £35m Task Force fund

SSI Steelworks in Redcar Credit: PA

More than £35m has been secured by the SSI Task Force as they continue to deliver support to workers who lost their jobs at the Redcar steelworks.

Four new funding packages, as part of the up to £80m Government support fund, will be available to help redundant employees deal with the impact of losing their jobs and help them find new employment.

Grant support will also be made available to help on-site contractors and supply chain companies in the Tees Valley cope with effect of the plant's closure on their business.

The latest SSI Task Force funding approval comprises:

  • A £16.5m Jobs and Skills Fund to help local firms employ former SSI workers or their spouses in full-time or part-time jobs for a minimum of three years

  • £16m support for firms in the SSI supply chain and wider Tees Valley impacted by the Redcar steelworks closure, to safeguard jobs, provide the stimulus to create new posts and provide expert assistance to help them expand their business

  • £2.4m Safety Net Fund to help SSI workers deal with the immediate financial impact of the plant’s closure if they find themselves in crisis, for example if they are at risk of losing their home

  • £750,000 to fund advice and grants to start up a new business

This latest round of funding follows on from £7.3m of task force support approved last week, which included £1.7m to enable 50 former SSI apprentices to complete their training with other local companies.

Links to all the funds, including eligibility and how to apply, can be found at www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/taskforce