The first money from a £100m fund to help workers and firms affected by restructuring plans at Tata’s Port Talbot steel plant is being released, UK ministers will announce on Thursday.

Tata closed one of its two blast furnaces on the site last month and plans to shut the second in September, as it moves to greener production and cuts thousands of jobs.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens will confirm that £13.5m from the fund will be made available.

UK ministers are in separate negotiations to try to save jobs at the steel giant, which is planning to lose 2,800 posts.

The funding is to support local firms whose main customer is Tata Steel find new markets and to help workers find new jobs, access training and gain skills and qualifications in areas where there are vacancies.