A PLAN to help single parents back into work has been announced by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Yvette Cooper says extra help will be provided to lone parents of three to six-year-olds under the new Progression to Work Pathfinders scheme for residents in Lewisham, Bexley, Greenwich and Bromley.

The scheme's pilot will begin in October and single parents will be able to improve their chances of finding work with training, work experience and help in preparing their CVs.

Parents will be obliged to accept help but only when their children are at school or nursery, enabling them to apply for jobs when the time is right.

Other boroughs included in the scheme are Richmond, Croydon, Kingston, Merton and Sutton.