THE number of people in Glasgow claiming benefit has been slashed by almost 4000 in six months - thanks to a pioneering employment scheme.

THE number of people in Glasgow claiming benefit has been slashed by almost 4000 in six months - thanks to a pioneering employment scheme.

Glasgow Works, the organisation set up to tackle unemployment in the city, has announced a 3670 fall in the number of people claiming Incapacity Benefit, Jobseeker's Allowance and Lone Parent Allowance.

The latest figures show 79,530 people in the city were claiming the three benefits last November, down from 83,200 the previous May.

Glasgow Works was set up in May 2006 with a target of getting 12,000 people from welfare to work by June 2009 - by helping them overcome difficulties such as ill-health or lack of child care .

A total of 8760 have come off benefit since the scheme started, meaning almost 75% of the target had been met with half the period still to go.

Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell announced last month the Glasgow scheme would be extended for a further two years.

Funding comes from a share of a £32m UK-wide Deprived Area Fund, Community Regeneration Funding and other cash from the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Scottish Enterprise.

The chairman of Glasgow Works is Jim McColl, the self-made millionaire who saved 600 jobs last year when he bought Weir Pumps after it was threatened with closure.

He said today: "This is very encouraging news. The number of Glasgow people on benefits has been a terrible waste of the potential of our citizens, especially our young people, and an unsustainable drain on the city's economy."

David Coyne, executive director of Glasgow Works, said: "Many people who find themselves unable to work because of illness or injury can and, want to retrain for another form of work.

"What the Works partners are doing is removing barriers to work - for example, lack of child care or lack of retraining.

"This makes it possible for these people to engage in the success of the city and improve the standard of living of their families."

The partners, Glasgow City Council, JobCentre Plus, NHS Scotland, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, Careers Scotland, the Scottish Executive and Glasgow Chamber of Commerce have all sent senior staff to regular strategy meetings.

City council leader Steven Purcell said: "This significant reduction shows the tremendous progress we are making in getting people into work."

Richard Cairns, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: "This is fantastic progress."