WHAT IS KICKSTART?
The Kickstart Scheme is a new £2 billion government fund that will pay any employer of any size across the private, public and third sector to create quality 6-month work placements for young people with potential and who are ready for an opportunity, aged 16 to 24, claiming Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment.
The Government will fully fund each Kickstart job paying 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. A key element of the scheme is to ensure each kickstarter becomes more employable at the end of the work placement than they were at the start. This will require individually tailored wrap around support to ensure this key scheme goal is achieved.