Kickstart Scheme Guidance Update (11/05/2021)
The guidance for employers recruiting a young person through the Kickstart scheme has been updated. As you will be aware, employers taking part in the scheme are given £1,500 per job for setup costs and employability support. This funding can be spent on:
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- Training and employability support (provided by the employer, Kickstart gateway or another provider)
- IT equipment and software
- Uniform or Personal Protective Equipment
Guidance has now been published to support those applying for Kickstart Scheme grant.
The guidance has been update to state that DWP may ask employers for their records to prove that they’ve spent this funding on setup costs and supporting the young person’s employability. Read the guidance here.
How the scheme works
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 Wage depending 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.
Further funding is available to provide support so that young people on the scheme can get a job in the future.
How to apply
You can apply for a Kickstart Scheme grant by either:
- applying online yourself
- getting help from a Kickstart gateway who is already working with the Kickstart Scheme
You can add more job placements to your grant agreement if you or your gateway already has one. You do not need to apply again.
What is a Kickstart gateway
A Kickstart gateway already has a Kickstart Scheme grant agreement with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). They can add employers and job placements to this grant agreement.
A Kickstart gateway can be any type of organisation, such as a local authority, charity or trade body.
Kickstart gateways will:
- gather information about the job placements you’d like to offer
- share this information with DWP on your behalf
- pay the funding to you (for example the young person’s salary)
They may also offer employability support to the young people in the job placement.
What you’ll get
You’ll get £1,500 funding per job placement. This is for setup costs and to support the young person develop their employability skills. If someone else helps you to do some of this for you, you’ll have to agree how you will share this money.
Find out more information on eligibility, how to apply and the job placement criteria here.
Contact your local or national Kickstart Scheme contact if you need help with the application process.
Other employment schemes
Kickstart Scheme is part of the government’s Plan for Jobs. Other employment schemes in this include:
Apprenticeships: You may be able to get funding for any apprentices you employ in England. Find out more about apprenticeships.
Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP): Jobcentre Plus can support you to create a skilled workforce for your business by offering unemployed people sector-based work academies in England and Scotland.
Traineeships: Employers in England can also help young people by setting up a traineeship. Funding is available for this scheme.
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