At the latest meeting of the South Northamptonshire Business Club today, I had the opportunity to brief local businesses and leaders on the latest news from Parliament now we’ve returned from Summer Recess.

I was particularly delighted to be able to provide an update on the new Kickstart Scheme, £2 billion project to create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people across the country.

Kickstart is a key pillar of the Plan for Jobs, a priority for this Government as we build back better, greener and stronger from this coronavirus crisis. This plan includes doubling the number of work coaches across the country to 27,000, alongside launching targeted interventions such as Kickstart to bring specific groups closer to the labour market.

The 6 month Kickstart placements are open to those aged 16-24 who are claiming Universal Credit and at risk of long term unemployment. They will be available across a range of different sectors in England, Scotland and Wales. The first placements are likely to be available from November.

There will also be 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. 

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. There is also £1,500 per job placement available for setup costs, support and training.

Applications are being accepted now from employers or groups of employers, and further details about eligibility can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/kickstart-scheme-opens-for-employer-applications