‘Kickstart’ Your Business Through New Government Scheme

If you are an employer looking to create job placements for young people, you can apply for funding as part of the Government’s £2 billion ‘Kickstart Scheme’.

The 2020 Scheme has been designed to create new six-month job placements for young people (aged 16-24) in England, Scotland, and Wales, who are currently on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment.

The job placements should support the participants to develop the skills and experience they need to find work after completing the scheme. The first placements are likely to be available from November.

Employers will receive funding for 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage (NMW) for 25 hours a week, plus associated employer National Insurance contributions and employer minimum auto-enrolment pension contributions.

Who can apply?

Any organisation, regardless of size, can apply for funding. The job placements created with Kickstart funding must be new jobs.

They must not:

• replace existing or planned vacancies
• cause existing employees or contractors to lose or reduce their employment

The roles you are applying for must be:

• a minimum of 25 hours per week, for six months
• paid at least the NMW for their age group
• should not require people to undertake extensive training before they begin the job placement

Each application should include how you will help the participants to develop their skills and experience, including:

• support to look for long-term work, including career advice and setting goals
• support with CV and interview preparations
• supporting the participant with basic skills, such as attendance, timekeeping, and teamwork

Once a job placement is created, it can be taken up by a second person once the first successful applicant has completed their six-month term.

How to apply?

• If your organisation is creating more than 30 job placements as part of the Kickstart Scheme, you can submit your application directly here.
• If your organisation is creating fewer than 30 job placements as part of the Kickstart Scheme, you cannot apply directly. You must go through an intermediary, such as Make UK, to apply for a Scheme grant on your behalf. Simply indicate how many placements you are offering.

You can contact your local or national Kickstart Scheme employer contact for help finding a someone who can support your involvement in the Kickstart Scheme.

What you need to provide during the application

You will need:

• the Companies House registration number (CRN) or Charity Commission number
• the organisation address and contact details
• details of the job placements and their location

There is £1,500 of funding available for each job placement to set up support and training, as well as helping pay for uniforms and other setup costs.

Helpful Information

Read Kickstart Employer Guide here or watch video.