£8.2 million is set to be invested in Warwickshire to support people who are sick, disabled or face "complex barriers" to work.

The county is one of 15 areas to receive the funding from a £338 million 'Connect to Work' programme announced by the Department for Work and Pensions.

In all around 85,000 people across all of England and Wales are set to benefit over the next five years.

This includes 2,050 people in Warwickshire.

The programme aims to help people into "good, secure jobs".

To access support, sick and disabled people and those facing complex barriers to work can self-refer or they can be referred through various routes including healthcare professionals, local authorities, and voluntary sector partners.

Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall said: "For too long, millions of people have been denied the support they need to get back to health and back to work.

"It's bad for their living standards, it's bad for their families, and it's bad for the economy.

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"That's why we're taking decisive action by investing millions of pounds so sick or disabled people can overcome the barriers they face and move out of poverty and into good, secure jobs as part of our Plan for Change."

Locally, funding will be distributed by Warwickshire County Council.