UK Government provides £22M extra support for Port Talbot steelworkers and businesses

Major £22 million uplift in Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board funding. Funds available for the community now total £122 million - £102 million from UK Government and £20 million from Tata Steel. The additional funding could support up to 1,000 more jobs in the local community. Businesses and workers affected by changes at Tata Steel’s Port Talbot site will be able to access an extra £22 million in support from the UK Government. Since July 2024, the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board, chaired by Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens, has allocated £80 million in UK Government funding to support where it has most been needed – so far funding thousands of training courses for individuals, and so far supporting nearly 200 businesses to start and grow companies, invest in new equipment and move into new markets. The rapid delivery of UK Government funding into the Port Talbot area has helped ensure there has been no increase in unemployment benefits take-up in the region during Tata Steel’s transition to greener steelmaking.  In response to the high demand for the funds provided by the Transition Board and the support it continues to provide to businesses across South Wales, a further £22 million has now been allocated by UK Government. This additional funding, announced on Thursday (18 December) will allow more applications from businesses for the Supply Chain,  Business Start-Up, Resilience and Growth Funds into 2026.   Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:   This government has acted decisively to support workers and businesses in Port Talbot, allocating the entire £80 million in initial funding quickly into the community to ensure that whoever needed support could access it. Grants have been delivered swiftly to meet the needs of local people, businesses and communities and there is evidence that our approach is working. But we want to make sure that as many people as possible have continued access to support with the extra £22 million for local businesses into the new year. We said we would back workers and businesses affected by the transition at Port Talbot and are delivering on that promise. It remains a difficult time for Tata Steel workers, their families and the community, but we will continue to support them.”  Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens announced the increased UK Government funding on Thursday at Port Talbot-based engineering company JES Group which has accessed Transition Board support. She visited the JES Academy which is proving training for dozens of Port Talbot steelworkers, many of whom have also accessed Transition Board funding. Justin Johnson, Director of JES Group and The Skills Academy, said: I want to express our gratitude to the UK Government for establishing the original Transition Fund and for now having the foresight to increase the level of support at such a critical moment. This uplift will make a significant difference to supply‑chain companies like ours. As Tata Steel transitions to electric arc furnace steelmaking, businesses like JES must transition alongside it, while also diversifying into new sectors to reduce our reliance on what was once our core work. We continue to believe that the history of steelmaking in Port Talbot is far from over and that a brighter, greener future lies ahead — but while that future takes shape, diversification is essential. The journey has not been easy, and it is far from over, but this additional support creates real opportunities for stability and growth. I also want to recognise Business Wales and, in particular, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Economic Development team for their guidance and practical assistance. The UK Government’s £80m Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board fund was set up to protect jobs and the local economy during Tata Steel’s ongoing transition to greener steelmaking in the town. Businesses or individuals interested in applying for any of the funds can find information on the Tata Steel Transition Information Hub. The Hub also contains details of other support for workers and businesses affected by the transition. The UK Government has committed £2.5 billion of investment to rebuild the UK’s steel industry for decades to come as it decarbonises. Its Steel Strategy for the UK industry will be published in early 2026. This is in addition to the £500 million allocated to Tata Steel in Port Talbot for an electric arc furnace, which is now under construction. ENDS

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