Former drug addicts and alcoholics are to be appointed as mentors in Job Centres to help people cope with their addictions.

The £3.7m peer mentoring programme run by the Department for Work and Pensions is being trialled in 40 Jobcentres across England as part of wider efforts to support people back into work.

The department says the mentors will help others in disclosing their dependency issues without fear of reprisal and help them manage their addiction.

This will give them with the skills they need to access education, training, volunteering, and employment.

DWP is also investing over £39m to expand its drug and alcohol dependency programme to all local authority areas in England by 2025.

The Peer Mentoring Programme is part of the Government’s 10-year drugs strategy to reduce crime and save lives, including actions to break drug supply chains and delivering a ‘world-class’ treatment and recovery system.

Mims Davies, minister for social mobility, youth and progression, said: ‘Our new peer mentors are proof that work can be a crucial part of someone’s journey out of substance dependency, transforming their life.

‘Their lived experience will help them provide expert one-to-one advice and support from DWP in our Jobcentres, helping people recovering from addiction move into work.

‘This new form of support will not only give people in recovery the tailored help they need to get on in life and prosper, but it will also help grow our economy by getting more people back into the workforce.’