Swindon MP urges local employers to take advantage of Government's Kickstart job scheme
The ÂŁ2 billion initiative aims to tackle youth unemployment in the UK.
Last updated 21st Sep 2020
South Swindon MP Robert Buckland is urging employers across the town to sign-up to the government’s landmark new Kickstart initiative and help young people into work.
The £2billion scheme has been designed to ensure young people at risk of long-term unemployment have a future of opportunity and hope by creating quality, government-subsidised jobs across the UK - helping to spur the country’s economic recovery after the pandemic.
Under the scheme, announced in June as part of the government’s Plan for Jobs, employers that sign up will be able to offer youngsters aged 16 to 24 who are claiming Universal Credit a six-month work placement that is fully funded by the government.
This means the government will pay 100% of the young person’s age-relevant National Minimum Wage, National Insurance and pension contributions for 25 hours a week, which the employer can top up if they choose to.
The government will also pay the employer ÂŁ1,500 for each young person they take-on, to support any training or associated costs like uniforms that might incur when setting-up the scheme.
The scheme will initially be open until December 2021, but it may be extended.
Young people will be referred into the new roles through their Jobcentre Plus work coach, with the first Kickstarts expected to begin at the start of November.
Mr Buckland said: “Since becoming MP for South Swindon in 2010, I have worked hard to tackle youth unemployment in the town and pre COVID this had gone down by 61.3%.
“We have many bright young people here in Swindon and I am determined that despite the economic cost of COVID, they are given the opportunities they deserve and the chance to succeed through the Government’s Plan for Jobs, which includes this scheme and new government cash incentives for employers to take on apprentices.”