IT contractors struggling to find work during the economic downturn will be more likely to suffer from ill-health and depression, it has been claimed.

More must be done by the government to help people who have been out of work for a long time get back into work, according to Matthew Freeman, head of young people and communities at Working Links.

The sustainable employment organisation has established that those who do manage to get back into work often experience a significant and positive change in their mental health.

Mr Freeman explained: "Hard to reach people are not hard to reach – it is often the programmes that are hard to access.

"We work within communities alongside partner organisations to deliver the best possible service."

The latest research from the Office for National Statistics found that the number of working-age people without employment fell by 34,000 in the last three months, to reach 2.47 million.