The government's new Kickstart scheme, designed to help young people into employment by providing new high quality, government-subsidised jobs for 16-24 year olds, has begun - and in its first week has already created 19,000 new opportunities.
This is great news and is an early sign that this scheme is going to have a considerable impact on the provision of opportunities for 16-24 year olds.
The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to create new job placements for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long term unemployment. Employers of all sizes can apply for funding which covers:
- 100% of the National Minimum Wage (or the National Living Wagedepending on the age of the participant) for 25 hours per week for a total of 6 months
- associated employer National Insurance contributions
- employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions
Employers can spread the start date of the job placements up until the end of December 2021.
For further details, see the government guidance here.
