Kickstart Scheme

Overview

In the summer of 2020, the UK Government announced a new initiative aimed at creating short term work placements for young people who may be at risk of long-term unemployment.

Initially, Employers were required to host more than 30 placements for people aged between 16 and 24, for a minimum of 25 hours per week, for 6 months. However, earlier this year, the Government announced a change to the terms which now means that any Employer can apply for a Kickstart Grant for any number of placements that qualify under the terms of the scheme.

What is the eligibility criteria for new jobs created under the scheme?

• The Job must last 6 months
• It must be for at least 25 hours per week
• It must include support for young people to help them find work after the scheme has finished
• The role must be additional. That means it must not replace existing or planned jobs, or cause employers to reduce their workforce.

What does the grant cover?

• The Grant will cover the National Minimum/Living Wage for 25 hours worked per week
• It will also cover Employer National Insurance contributions and minimum pension contributions
• Employers will also receive £1,500 per placement for wraparound support for the young person.
  • This should be used for placement setup support, including training, and any uniform costs

How can Employers evidence that the role is additional?

• During the application process, Employers are asked to provide supporting evidence of how the roles are additional within the organization. Some examples of evidence may be:
  • Details of any changes in workforce over the last 6 months, such as redundancies or changes to hours
  • The number of people affected by the change in the workforce
  • Examples of the roles and salaries of those made redundant
  • Whether these roles would be possible without the Kickstart scheme

Is there a time limit on what role must be filled?

• Currently, the scheme is running until the 31^st December 2021, so the role start date will have to be before this date.

How do Employers apply for the scheme?

• Applications can be made directly through the HMRC website.

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