The long-term unemployed are to be offered free work-focused training.

In his Pre-Budget Report, Chancellor Gordon Brown announced pilots to be set up in 2006, that would allow long-term claimants on income support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and incapacity benefit the chance to take up full-time training to help get them back to work.

Claimants will have to meet conditions laid out in a “learning agreement” and will be offered an extra £10-a-week to cover the costs of learning.