Australian welfare to work scheme WorkDirections has won three new contracts to help long-term unemployed people in the UK get back into work – one of the first non-British companies to provide welfare to work services in the UK.

Following a review of the six employment zones for the UK by the Department of Work and Pensions, WorkDirections won contracts for Southwark, Brent & Haringey and Birmingham.

The firm already runs the New Deal programme in Hammersmith & Fulham, Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea and Nottingham.

WorkDirections was set up a year ago by the former chief executive of Working Links William Smith (pictured). Since then the company has placed 1,500 long-term unemployed people into jobs, and plans to assist a further 12,000 over the next five years.