BLACKBURN with Darwen will benefit from a share of £5million to help people off benefits and back into work.

The borough has been chosen as one of 13 national pilots to explore better ways of getting people into employment.

Mike Kinsella, economic regeneration manager at the council, said an employment consortium would be created to increase the borough's employment rate from 69.7per cent to 80per cent.

The consortium, made up of businesses, the council, and other public sector agencies like Jobcentre Plus, will spend the next few months coming up with ideas for initiatives to spend the money, which is yet to be allocated.

Mr Kinsella added: "By people coming together in local areas, because they know the local issues, we can try and move more people into work who maybe don't have the skills necessary, or the confidence."

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions John Hutton, who announced the scheme, said: "Local people know what will work best to tackle the particular problems in their area."