AN UNEMPLOYED Newbridge man who was made redundant in October believes he is being discriminated against by potential employers because he previously worked for Remploy.

Stephen Prosser, 38, was made redundant from his job as a machinery operator at the Croespenmaen site late last year. The site is just one of seven Remploy sites to close in Wales, leaving 280 employees out of work.

Figures obtained by BBC Wales last week found 69 per cent of the 280 laid off disabled employees do not currently have jobs.

Mr Prosser said: "I just want to be given a chance like everyone else, but employers just arent interested.

"I was a machine operator in the cardboard box factory. Before that my experience was in retail, yet none of the retail jobs I've applied for will take me on.

"I'm currently living on £70 a week. I volunteer two days a week at a charity shop, because it drives me up the wall being stuck in the house."

Mr Prosser says he has applied for about 30 jobs, and had just two replies, both rejecting him.

He added: "It really does seem to be having Remploy on my CV.

"I think there is a stigma about having worked for Remploy. Maybe potential employers think I'll be off sick a lot or something, but the truth is I've never been out of work since I was 18, and in that time - 19 years- I've probably taken about five sick days off in sick in total."

Mr Prosser does not have a physical disability that would prevent him from working, but depression, which he says is being made worse by the stress of not getting a job.

He said: "It's frustrating for me because I have got all this experience and knowledge, and no one will give me a chance. It's hard."

A Department of Work and Pensions spokesman said: "Ex-Remploy workers are benefiting from an £8m package of employment support, which includes a personal case worker and access to a personal budget.

"They can also take advantage of Remploy Employment Services which - despite the tough economic climate - has found more than 2,500 jobs for disabled and disadvantaged people in Wales since 2010, many of which have similar disabilities to those who worked in Remploy factories."

The Welsh Government announced on Moday its £2.4million Employer Support Grant to help displaced Remploy workers find new work will now be extended until March 2014.