New Jobs for Young People – Simplified Kickstart Scheme Goes Live
The Kickstart Scheme is a £2 billion fund designed to create high quality six-month work placements for those aged 16 to 24 who are on Universal Credit and are deemed to be at risk of long term unemployment.
Evidence shows that young people are more likely to have been furloughed, with many working in sectors disproportionately hit by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. New jobs created through this scheme should give young people the opportunity to build their skills in the workplace and gain experience to improve their chances of finding long-term work.
Employers will receive funding for 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week, plus associated employer National Insurance contributions and employer minimum auto-enrolment pension contributions. Employers will be able to top up this wage, while the Government will also pay employers £1,500 to set up support and training for people on a Kickstart placement, as well as helping pay for uniforms and other set up costs.
The scheme is available to employers in England, Scotland and Wales that are looking to create new job placements for young people. Any organisation, regardless of size, can apply for funding. From 3 February 2021, employers can apply directly to the Kickstart scheme for any number of job placements. The Government has removed the previous threshold of 30 job placements. Applicants can also choose to apply through a Kickstart gateway, including those supporting sole traders.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Thérèse Coffey said:
‘Kickstart has moved up a gear and I encourage employers to join us and invest in the next generation of talent by joining our Kickstart scheme. By removing the threshold of a minimum 30 jobs for direct applications, we are making it even simpler to get involved.’
Applications are open at any time and the scheme will run until at least December 2021.
Content source: www.grantfinder.co.uk