Kickstart Scheme: Government to Pay Businesses Directly to Support Job Opportunities for 16-24 Year Olds

The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to employers to create job placements for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit.

The West Midlands Combined Authority is proud to be supporting the Kickstart Scheme, which will see thousands of young people gain valuable skills and experience to help them get back into work.

The Kickstart Scheme was announced in July as part of the Chancellor’s Plan for Jobs, and will see the Government pay employers directly, to create new jobs for any 16 to 24-year olds at risk of long-term unemployment.

To help as many of our region’s young people back into work as possible, businesses across the West Midlands are being encouraged to sign up to the Scheme, and ensure there is a substantial supply of placements to meet the rising demand.

The Scheme’s success in the region will depend heavily on the involvement and participation of partners in promoting it amongst the business community.

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:

The Scheme Explained:

The new £2 billion Kickstart Scheme will create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people across the country.

Employers will create 6-month placements that will be open to those aged 16-24 who are claiming Universal Credit. The Scheme is now open and will run until at least December 2021.

Placements are fully subsidised by the Government, and there is also extra funding to support young people to build their experience and help them move into sustained employment after they have completed their Kickstart funded job. Specifically, 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.

The scheme is open to any employer in any industry. The placements must be new roles which have been created especially for the scheme, and must not take work away from existing (or planned) employees or contractors.

Why Businesses Should Participate:

It is crucial local businesses help and support young people who have been undeniably impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Kickstart scheme is a great and essential way for local businesses to help and support a young person on their journey into work, giving them real on-the-job experience, a route into long-term employment, and get the UK’s economy back on track before our return to a real normal.

The Scheme also supports businesses by helping you add to your workforce, at no cost, for 6 months.

Click here for more details about the Scheme; where employers will also be directed to their relevant gateway organisations.

#WMKickstart #WMStrong

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