Man in fifties sent on job training for 16-30s by UK government

A man in his 50s "mistakenly placed" on a training programme for 16-30 jobseekers has been apologised to by the UK government.

Former construction worker John Colamatheo, 57, was given the opportunity to become a Universal Credit Agent working for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

But after buying new clothes to look "smart", and attending training for a week, he was told he had been incorrectly placed on the programme and the offer was withdrawn.

DWP apologised for the error and said they were helping him "to explore further employment opportunities".

Colamatheo, from Wrexham, had been out of work for a year after suffering an ankle injury that prevented him working in construction.

Despite his disability allowing him to claim Universal Credit, he wanted to work.

"I needed it, not for the money, for my mental health," he said.

"I wanted that camaraderie, that feeling of being in a workplace, around people."

He said that he thought the fact he had a disability, and had experienced the process of claiming benefits, meant he could "help people".

Told he could have a job after he had completed the training, Colamatheo bought new clothes for the workplace.

He said: "I wanted to go to the training looking smart. I could ill-afford to spend the money but I reckoned I would cover it after I started getting paid."

But during the second week of training he was taken aside and told "there had been a mistake".

"I was told that the job was only open to people aged 30," he said.

Colamatheo said he was shocked by the news and there "was nothing on the job advert that indicated it was for people aged 30". He questioned why it would be "age restricted".

"We are not talking about manual labour here where age would be a factor. This is a desk job advising people. I can't see how that should be only available to a certain age range," he said.

Colomatheo said the incident had "destroyed my confidence".

DWP said Colamatheo was "mistakenly placed" into the Movement to Work programme, wich is a national charity to support 16 to 30-year-olds into employment.

A spokesperson added: "We sincerely apologise for this error and are in contact with Mr Colamatheo to discuss other job support available, as we help him to explore further employment opportunities."