The Kickstart Scheme

As the country edges closer to the end of the current lockdown, businesses will be preparing to open their doors again. Some businesses may have employees returning from furlough that can help them prepare for reopening, but there may be a need to acquire new staff.

If you are looking to recruit staff, you could consider the Kickstart Scheme.

Open to businesses of all sizes and across all sectors, the Kickstart Scheme provides funding to create new job placements for 16 to 24-year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long-term unemployment. Employers can spread the start dates of these placements up until the end of December 2021. A condition of the Kickstart Scheme funding is that it must not replace existing or planned vacancies or cause existing employees, apprentices, or contractors to lose work or reduce their working hours.

The new job placements must be a minimum of 25 hours per week, for 6 months, pay at least the National Minimum Wage or the National Living Wage for the employee’s age group and only require basic training. You’ll also receive £1,500 per job placement for setup costs and supporting the young person to develop their employability skills. For example, training and employability support, IT equipment and software, uniform, or Personal Protective Equipment.

You can apply for a Kickstart Scheme grant by either applying online yourself or through a Kickstart gateway who act on behalf of employers to submit applications to the Department for Work and Pensions. For more details on the eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit the Kickstart Scheme Grant website.

At EQ, we support our clients by ensuring they are aware of the various financial support that is available. If you are looking for additional support, please contact one of our offices.