Under the new Kickstart scheme, six-month work placements will be offered to job-seekers aged between 16-24 years-old, with placements set to start in November.
It is targeted at those claiming Universal Credit and at risk of long term unemployment.
The Government will pay the new recruits’ wages, the age-relevant National Minimum Wage, National Insurance and pension contributions for 25 hours a week. Employers can also top up wages if they wish.
Funding support
Companies will be given £1,500 to support their new hires with training, uniform and other set-up costs.
Employers must apply for a minimum of 30 job placements but there is an option to partner with other organisations for those unable to offer that many. There is no cap on the number of places.
The placements cannot replace existing or planned vacancies or cause existing workers to lose or reduce their employment. They must be new roles.
Companies can find out if they are eligible to participate in the scheme and apply on the Government’s website.
The ‘class of Covid’ age bracket has been identified as those who will be hit the hardest by the economic fallout of the pandemic, with many companies freezing recruitment while new graduates crowd the job market.
Tough time
Unemployment among under-25s could rise by 640,000 this year, meaning more than 1m young people out of work, according to one report from the Resolution Foundation think tank.
The scheme will run until December 2021 but may be extended.
Chancellor 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."
