A temporary Jobcentre has opened in Barking.

The new Jobcentre Plus in Maritime House, Linton Road aims to give people more access to support and new opportunities to find work.

It has a team of 48 work coaches, who will each help young people with one-on-one, tailored support to find their next job.

The central hub will serve the employment needs of younger claimants in Barking and Dagenham and surrounding boroughs.

Minister for Employment Mims Davies said: “We know this has been a challenging time for many people and that’s why we’re boosting our Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Jobcentre support in every community of the UK.

“Every customer benefits from having a dedicated work coach. They know the local jobs market and work with local businesses to match jobseekers to the latest opportunities.

“It’s brilliant to see our plan for jobs in action, from Kickstart to sector-based work academy programmes, our work coaches are there to help people thrive and progress in work.”

Maritime House Jobcentre Plus is one of the new temporary sites that were announced by the DWP earlier this year, building on the existing 639 Jobcentres across the UK.

The DWP has also hired 13,500 work coaches nationally as part of a recruitment drive.

The additional space at Maritime House will accommodate new work coaches recruited in Barking, according to the DWP.

One of the new recruits based at the Maritime House centre, Irfan Taylor, said: “I love being on the frontline and being able to support our next generation.

“These are some of the most vulnerable people in our society today and seeing a change in their outlook when we work together to achieve successful outcomes fills me with pride.”

The customer service leader overseeing the Barking site, Tia Ahmed, said: “It’s fantastic to have a lively and vibrant place specifically for our youth customers.

“We are in the heart of the community where we should be.

“This will be essential to our success, and we will work with local partners and employers to support our young people and change lives for the better.”