Helping all London's work seekers get support that suits them

Diversity – a strength and a challenge

London's diversity is one of its greatest strengths. New blood, new energy and new ideas have been driving London's vigour and vibrancy for centuries. But it can bring difficulties. Many kinds of people face many different challenges - demanding a wide variety of solutions if they're to find the work they need and deliver their full potential. We are determined that London should have the right support to take full advantage of its diversity. And we are committed to giving every group of Londoners solutions that really meet their own particular needs.

It's a big challenge. London's overall labour performance is among the UK's worst, with over 30% of Londoners of working age out of work - 600,000 with no qualifications at all. We’re working to help people gain the skills they need for today's labour market, as well as addressing other barriers such as the relatively high cost of London housing, transport and childcare. We want to help people not just get jobs, but get good jobs where they can stay over long periods and deliver productivity that helps London businesses compete and public agencies deliver efficient services.

We're working to try to make help more accessible too, overcoming the proliferation of agencies that can make life difficult for the unemployed. We're working to coordinate the efforts of the many agencies in London to try to provide a one stop shop service that delivers help in a way that's easy for Londoners to access. And we have special services and support targeted to meet the particular needs of the young, unemployed graduates, and those keen to develop their skills and experience and give something back by volunteering.