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'Real help now for women'

The new booklet was launched by Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equality, at an event at number 11 Downing Street.

It contains advice on issues such as:

• where to go for support if they lose their job
  
• help with looking after children
  
• skills and training
  
• staying secure and well

The booklet also aims to make sure women know what their employment rights are.

Harriet Harman said: "The global economic downturn affects both men and women - but it affects them in different ways, because women still do the lion's share of caring for children and elderly relatives; most women are still the 'managers of the family;' women have different patterns of work from men - are more likely to work part time; and because women still suffer pay discrimination at work.

"We want to reassure women that not only are we taking all the action that we can to stabilise the economy and put it on a strong footing for the future - but that there is real help now for families that get into difficulty."

Engaging women

The launch event at Downing Street and the ‘Real help now for women’ booklet are part of a range of activities to engage women and look at how they are affected differently to men during the global economic downturn.

Measures being introduced to help support women include:

• new training for women and men who have been out of work for six months
  
• £15million worth of skills development and support for women
  
• help with mortgages
  
• tax cuts and tax credits
  
• extending the right to request flexible working
  
• funding 35,000 more apprentices

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