Kickstart Scheme creates over 19,000 jobs
12 November 2020
HM Treasury has confirmed that the Kickstart Scheme, designed to create jobs for young people, has placed more than 19,000 unemployed 16-24 year olds into job placements so far.
The Government has dedicated £2 billion to put into the scheme, and it is expected that thousands more placements will be created over the course of the next few months. There have also been more than 4,350 applications from employers and gateways, hoping to offer a wide range of jobs, ranging from roles in communications to those in construction.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, said:
“Our country’s future will be built by the next generation, so it’s vital that we harness the talent of young people as we rebuild from the pandemic. But this isn’t just about kickstarting our economy, we’re giving opportunity and hope to thousands of young people, kickstarting their careers and offering them a brighter future.”
The scheme will run until December 2021, and it is hoped that over 250,000 high-quality jobs will be created for young people as a result, who are amongst those impacted most substantially by the outbreak of coronavirus. Individuals must not be in employment and must be on Universal Credit in order to be eligible for the Kickstart Scheme. Each job placement must last for a period of six months and will be funded by the Government, who will pay 100% of the age-relevant National Minimum Wage (NMW) for 25 hours per week, plus the associated National Insurance (NI) and pension contributions. £1,500 will also be paid to businesses to assist with setting up support and training for those on the Kickstart Scheme.
Research highlights that, as of 31 August 2020, 523,000 jobs were furloughed where employees were aged 24 and below, and in August 2020, there were more than 600,000 16-24 year olds who weren’t in employment, who were in receipt of Universal Credit.
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