Esther McVey

Esther McVey MP at the Tesco Streatham superstore event

Tesco has hired 72 long-term unemployed people who took part in a ‘regeneration partnership programme’ that guaranteed them a job at the supermarket at the end of it.

Tesco partnered with Lambeth Council and Job Centre Plus to guarantee that 25% of the jobs at its new Streatham store would go to local people who had been out of work for at least six months. Tesco said it received hundreds of applications.

“I’m really proud that we’ve been able to help so many local people back to work through our Streatham Regeneration Partnership,” said Tesco MD for London Andrew Yaxley at an event this week to announce the news.

“Since 1999, more than 6,000 Tesco colleagues have taken part in programmes like this, which shows how serious we are about helping to address long-term unemployment. I want to congratulate our new colleagues, welcome them to the team and wish them luck in their new roles.”

Esther McVey MP, minister for employment, said: “I am pleased to see what can be achieved when Job Centres and local authorities work in partnership with employers. I hope many more businesses will follow this example and we will continue to see an increase in partnership working.”

The new store is part of a multimillion-pound ‘Streatham Hub’ regeneration scheme that includes a new leisure centre and 250 homes.