The government says it has helped more than 250,000 long-term unemployed people to find what it describes as “lasting work”.

The Work Programme, launched by the Conservative government in June 2011, offers routes into work and a programme of support.

Official figures show it got 44,000 people into jobs during the last three months, while separate figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed total unemployment fell by 63,000 last quarter.

Employment minister Esther McVey said more than a quarter of people joining the scheme at the beginning have found at least six months of work since, or three months for the very hardest to help.

Ms McVey said: “As the economy continues to grow, the Work Programme is successfully helping people to turn their lives around so they can look after themselves and their families.”