Sajid Javid has welcomed the Government’s new Kickstart scheme and called on local employers to sign up and help young people into work.
The £2 billion scheme has been designed to ensure young people at risk of long-term unemployment have the opportunity to enter the workplace, earn a living and gain valuable skills and experience in the process.
Under the scheme, announced in June as part of the Government’s Plan for Jobs, employers that sign up will be able to offer youngsters aged 16-24 who are claiming Universal Credit a six-month work placement that is fully funded by the government.
This means the Government will pay 100 per cent of the young persons’ age-relevant National Minimum Wage, National Insurance and pension contributions for 25 hours a week, which the employer can top up if they chose to. In addition, the Government will also pay the employer £1500 for each young person they take on, to support any training or associated costs like uniforms that they might incur when setting up the scheme.
The scheme will initially be open until December 2021, but there is the option for it to be extended. Young people will be referred into the new roles through their Jobcentre Plus work coach with the first Kickstarts expected to begin at the start of November.
Commenting, Sajid Javid MP said:
“The Government’s £2 billion Kickstart scheme has launched. My message to businesses and employers in Bromsgrove District is simple. We have so many talented local young people, let’s back their potential and invest in them”
Commenting, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said:
“This isn’t just about kickstarting our country’s economy – it is an opportunity to kickstart the careers of thousands of young people who could otherwise be left behind as a result of the pandemic.
“The scheme will open the door to a brighter future for a new generation and ensure the UK bounces back stronger as a country.”
