Benefits claimants will be given training in sectors deemed most at risk from labour shortages

The government has announced plans to bring in more British workers into the construction industry to plug gaps left by overseas workers.

Work and pensions secretary Mel Stride said the UK had relied on foreign labour “for too long” and the government was creating a skills ‘bootcamp’ for unemployed Britons to be given training for roles in key sectors facing shortages including hospitality, care, manufacturing – and construction.

Benefits claimants will be given training in under-resourced sectors with Stride saying that a taskforce to create recruitment schemes for industries with staff shortages had been created.