The cabinet and regional bodies have allocated €2.5m to help the 600 people who are losing their jobs with the closure of Delfzijl aluminium smelter Aldel.

The money will be used to help the workers find new jobs, social affairs minister Lodewijk Asscher said on Friday.

The cabinet’s contribution to the fund is €1m. The money will be spent on training and specialist career guidance – an approach which has worked in the past with other industry closures, Asscher said.

The unemployment rate in the north-east of Groningen is currently 13%, compared with a national average of 8.5%.

There is widespread unhappiness with the government in Groningen following the Aldel closure and the earthquake problems caused by the ground settling after natural gas has been extracted.