A new scheme aimed at getting more people into work has been launched by Government Education and Employment Secretary David Blunkett.

Mr Blunkett was joined by Social Security Secretary Alistair Darling in Chelmsford yesterday to launch the One strategy.

It aims to provide benefit claimants with more help and support and provides an adviser to assess their potential for employment and is being piloted in four regions - including Essex.

But campaigners outside the town's JobCentre - the Gemini Centre - in New London Road fear the new scheme would hit the disabled and elderly.

Lone protester Terry Hutt, of the Direct Action Network, protested outside the job centre.

"There are not enough jobs around for all the young people in this country, how on earth can they find work for the older people and disabled as well," he said.

"These people would love to work, given the chance, but they are not being listened to." Speaking at the town's job centre Mr Blunkett and Mr Darling rejected the protesters' claims.

Mr Blunkett said: "It will be providing a personal adviser to an individual to access a whole range of opportunities and services and given them all the chance to find a job.

"We are ensuring people claiming benefit have a service to provide rehabilitation and support to get them into work."

Mr Darling added too many people were getting caught up in the benefit trap and found it too difficult to escape.

"And for people who cannot work, such as the severely disabled, we want to provide greater security for them," he added.

It is the first time the benefits agency and the employment service will have worked together on a single project.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.