A LEADING politician visited a new centre set up to help people on benefits get back into work.

Local Government Minister John Healey spoke to staff and clients at The Work Shop in Newport Street, Bolton.

The centre advertises jobs and offers one-to-one support and training for people living in Bolton's most deprived areas.

It is also aimed at helping benefit claimants from ethnic minorities and those on incapacity benefit.

Since it opened last May, the centre has already helped 180 claimants back into sustained employment who had been on incapacity benefit for more than six months.

The Work Shop differs from Job Centre Plus by offering more tailored, personal support.

Success stories include four of the 12 staff at The Work Shop, who were themselves on benefits but have since trained to become career advisers.

The centre has been funded by £600,000 from the Government's neighbourhood renewal fund (NRF). The financial support will continue for another three years from April when the NRF is replaced with a working neighbourhoods fund.

Mr Healey said: "This is an outstanding example of what councils around the country are beginning to do in getting people who have been out of work for a long time back into jobs.

"Bolton is on the up, but there are still a big number of people, particularly those on incapacity benefit, who just do not share in that prosperity and feel written off.

"Areas like Bolton, with an industrial heritage, have a long history of ill health from the work place and not enough has been done for them in the past."

Suzanne Smart, of Harcourt Mews, Horwich, found a job at Vertex - a Department for Work and Pensions contact centre in Manchester Road - after receiving help from staff at The Work Shop.

The 36-year-old mother-of-two had been on incapacity benefit for six months after leaving her job with Vernacare, which makes medical products.

She had also split up with her husband of 16 years, robert.

She said: "I had been a bit of a mess, suffered a breakdown and was on anti-depressants.

"I felt worthless, but the help I received made a big difference."

Andy Walker, head of service at The Work Shop, said: "I think it's been a real benefit to the town. There are similar initiatives out there, but this is out-performing them in terms of the jobs it is creating."