Long-term unemployment can cast a shadow across whole extended families. Bradford West MP Marsha Singh says he comes across families in which grandfathers, fathers and children are all out of work. In that sort of situation it is all too easy for people to give up hope of ever being employed. Joblessness becomes a family tradition.

That, in turn, creates all manner of social problems. The younger generation, particularly, can feel alienated and angry. Lacking the discipline that is engendered by the workplace, they can too easily turn to crime and vandalism. So any measures aimed at breaking this cycle of benefits dependency and despair has to be welcomed.

The New Deal programme was a worthwhile attempt to ease people into jobs. However, in too many instances it failed to produced a permanent solution.

The SetUp scheme launched by the Department of Work and Pensions in the Little Horton, Tong and University areas of Bradford is a much-needed attempt to give a second chance to those who failed to secure a full-time job after taking part in a New Deal programme. It has the potential to rescue 300 people from long-term unemployment.

There are good incentives for employers to come forward to take advantage of the scheme. It not only offers them a fee for providing a StepUp job but also pre-screens the applicants, saving a great deal of time and effort.

Let's hope that by offering a stepping stone for people to improve their skills StepUp helps to lift hundreds of Bradford families out of the jobless trap and set them on the road to financial independence.