COVID-19 Update #107: Updates to the Kickstart Scheme

The government’s Kickstart Scheme which aims to create six-month job placements for young people is due to launch in November.

The scheme will be eligible to those currently on Universal Credit or who are at risk of long-term unemployment.

For each job placement, funding for employers will cover:

• All the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week
• The associated employer National Insurance contributions
• Employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions

There is also £1500 per job placement available for setup costs, support and training. If you’re applying on behalf of a group of employers, you can get £300 of funding for each job placement to support with the associated administrative costs of bringing together these employers.

Furthermore, there will also be extra funding to help youngsters build their experience and help them move into sustained employment after they’ve completed their Kickstart Scheme funded job.

Any organisation, regardless of size, can apply for funding. It is however important to note that in order to be eligible for the scheme, placements created with Kickstart funding must be new jobs. They must not:

• Replace existing or planned vacancies
• Cause existing employees or contractors to lose or reduce their employment

You can find out further information about eligibility and the rules and regulations of the scheme on the gov.uk website.

Applying for the scheme

If you’re applying for less than 30 placements, the only way to do this is through a representative group of employers. They can then submit an application on your behalf, using other employers to create 30 or more job placements in one application.  There is a list of those who can apply for you on Gov.uk.  

Alternatively, The Federation of Small Businesses is a national gateway for the scheme. If you visit their website, you can register your interest for them to apply on your behalf.

There have been several updates regarding the Kickstart scheme in recent weeks. All the updates are explained in this short video.

For further information, please head to our story or get in touch with PKB and we’ll be happy to advise.