Maidstone Radio has teamed up with our local Jobcentre Plus to bring regular KickStart scheme job spot feature.
The Kick Start scheme is for young adults (16-24) who are on universal credit. Each placement last for 6 months and could lead to a full-time job.
Funding is available for each job placement and the Government will pay the National Minimum Wage rate for 25 hours a week for each employee, plus the associated employer National Insurance contributions and employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions. The fund also awards £1,500 to an employer for each Kickstart placement, to support with training the individual as well as helping pay other set-up costs. The placements on offer must be for additional job roles and not for roles that would have otherwise been advertised, or to replace an existing employee.
If you know a young person who would benefit from a work placement, make sure to listen to Maidstone Radio between 8am – 6pm to hear regular work placement offers hand selected by the local job centre team.
Our current offers include:
- Football Club Caretaker and Facilities Assistant
- Project Coordinator
- Mattress Maker
- HR & Admin Assistant and more
How the scheme works
The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to create new jobs for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long term unemployment. Employers of all sizes can apply for funding which covers:
- 100% of the National Minimum Wage (or the National Living Wage depending on the age of the participant) for 25 hours per week for a total of 6 months
- associated employer National Insurance contributions
- minimum automatic enrolment pension contributions
Employers can spread the job start dates up until 31 December 2021. They’ll get funding until 30 June 2022 if a young person starts their job on 31 December 2021.
Job criteria
The jobs created with Kickstart Scheme funding must be new jobs. You need to check all of this with the employers you represent.
The jobs must not:
- replace existing or planned vacancies
- cause existing employees, apprentices or contractors to lose work or reduce their working hours
The jobs 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
- only require basic training
Each job needs to help the young person become more employable. The Kickstart gateway needs to agree with the employer how this is done.
This employability support could include:
- looking for long-term work, including career advice and setting goals
- support with CV and interview preparations
- developing their skills in the workplace
If the employer is not eligible for Kickstart Scheme funding, they can find out about other employment schemes.
The young person may be able to move to another employment scheme when they’ve finished their 6-month Kickstart Scheme job.
The jobs must not:
- replace existing or planned vacancies
- cause existing employees, apprentices or contractors to lose work or reduce their working hours
Employers will need to confirm:
- how many employees they have
- about changes to their workforce in the last 6 months and why (for example redundancies and changes to hours worked by existing staff)
- the number of people affected by changes to their workforce in the last 6 months
- about the kinds of roles, functions and average salary of those who were made redundant or who had their hours reduced in the last 6 months
- if they would be able to create these jobs without Kickstart Scheme funding and what funding source they would use
- what recruitment they have completed, started or paused in the last 6 months, including how similar these vacancies are or were to the roles they are creating for the Kickstart Scheme
- if the jobs will be similar to existing or planned roles or the roles previously done by those made redundant or with fewer working hours, why they are using Kickstart Scheme funding to create similar roles
- if they’ve engaged with any relevant trade unions and any advice the unions have give
Employers should also state:
- what support will be offered (for example helping young people with writing their CV and preparing for an interview)
- when they will provide this support (for example halfway through their job or towards the end)
- how many hours it will take
- who will provide the support (for example they may already have a pre-existing relationship with training providers or ask you to help with this)
- how they will monitor this support
- how the young person can provide feedback during their job and afterwards, and how this will be acted on
The government provides funding per job for setup costs and support. If employers get someone else to do some of this, such as a Kickstart gateway, they will have to agree how to share this money.
For more information please visit their website: www.gov.uk/government/collections/kickstart-scheme
