JOBLESS over 50's in Bolton and Bury are striding back to work thanks to measures unveiled by Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in April of this year.

New Deal 50 plus has proved a big success since its introduction, presenting many of the area's maturer jobseekers with a fresh start and brighter future.

The government programme has so far helped more than fifty local people aged 50 and above to move off benefits and into jobs. The national picture is impressive too, with close on 10,000 over fifties quitting the dole queues to return to the workplace.

New Deal 50 plus, which is entirely voluntary, offers:

A guaranteed minimum take home income of £170 a week or £9,000 a year for those taking up full-time employment or self employment

A tax free Employment Credit (paid to the individual) of £60 a week for up to 12 months, or £40 for part-time work, on top of the person's wages

A Personal Adviser to give one to one help with job search, and

An in-work training grant of up to £750

New Deal 50 plus is not just restricted to those currently signing-on at a Jobcentre. In addition, people over 50 and their partners in receipt of one, or a combination of the following benefits - Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance, Incapacity Benefit and Sever Disablement Allowance for at least six months, are also included.

Although a cash top-up of up to £60 a week has caught the eye of many, the in-work training grant has proved valuable in other ways. the grant, worth up to £750, has helped people over 50 to re-train, acquire today's skills, and strengthen their longer term chances of remaining in employment.

Employment Service District Manager, Barbara Hunt said:

"People over 50 make up over 40% of the UK population. They possess an abundance of valuable skills and experience that local communities cannot afford to discard.

Barbara added: "New Deal 50 plus has been good news for employers too. Businesses have welcomed moves to increase the supply of labour at a time when the market conditions are tightening."