Get a head start with Kickstart
Information on the Kickstart scheme and how Bolton Businesses can get involved.
Support for our young people to gain valuable workplace experience is even more crucial during this challenging climate.
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 of all sizes can apply for funding.
Help us build the future of our young people, by becoming a Kickstart employer. Support our 16–24-year-olds on Universal Credit back in to work and provide them with the life and work experience they need to take that first step into their career journey. This is your opportunity to recruit fresh new talent and ideas into your business and grow your future workforce, fully subsidised for 6 months.
What's in it for you?
The opportunity to give a young person paid work experience with funded in-work support to develop vital workplace skills.
£1,500 per job placement
You’ll get £1,500 funding per job placement. This is for setup costs, such as uniforms and essential workplace kit, and to support the young person develop their employability skills with an in-work development programme. If you apply through a Kickstart Gateway they can provide a development programme supported by this funding. If someone else helps you to do some of this for you, you’ll have to agree how you will share this money.
The funding 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
- employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions
- Funding for training and development needs, to support the young person into sustainable employment
Employers can pay a higher wage and for more hours but the funding will not cover this. Job placements can be spread up until 17th December 2021.
How to apply
You can apply for a Kickstart Scheme grant by either:
- applying online yourself at https://www.apply-kickstart-grant-employer.service.gov.uk/
- getting help from a Kickstart gateway. Gateways are listed on the Kickstart website, locally the Chamber of Commerce are supporting employers in Bolton, contact Diane.ElebertMorgan@gmchamber.co.uk for information.
Existing Kickstart employers can add more jobs to their grant agreement (grant variation). The additional jobs will be assessed to make sure they meet the Kickstart Scheme criteria. If you applied directly, you can add more jobs online using the application service (until 17 December 2021).
If you applied through a Kickstart gateway, tell them you’d like to add more jobs before 17 December 2021. They will contact DWP to arrange this.
Any employers interested in applying for a Kickstart grant can email GM.KickstartEmployerService@dwp.gov.uk please include employer postcode within the email. They will be contacted from this then booked on to the employer webinar and offered 1-2-1 support with their independent application.
What is a Kickstart gateway?
A Kickstart gateway can be any type of organisation, such as a local authority, charity or trade body that already has a Kickstart Scheme grant agreement with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). They can add employers and job placements to this grant agreement.
Getting help from an approved Kickstart Gateway, who will:
- gather information about the job placements you’d like to offer
- share this information with DWP on your behalf
- pay the funding to you (for example the young person’s salary)
They may also offer employability support to the young people in the job placement.
Kickstart Gateways in Greater Manchester
-
GM Chamber of Commerce - Gateway Application www.gmchamber.co.uk/kickstart-scheme-facilitation/, For further details contact: Diane.ElebertMorgan@gmchamber.co.uk
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The Growth Company – Gateway application https://gckickstart.co.uk/, For further details contact: www.growthco.uk/contact-us/
There are other gateway providers supporting employers with Kickstart applications - a full list can be found at Find a Kickstart gateway.
Job placement criteria
The job placements created with Kickstart Scheme funding must be new jobs. They must not:
- replace existing or planned vacancies
- cause existing employees, apprentices or contractors to lose work or reduce their working hours
The 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
- only require basic training
For each job placement you must help the young person become more employable. This could include:
- looking for long-term work, including career advice and setting goals
- support with curriculum vitae (CV) and interview preparations
- developing their skills in the workplace
If you are not eligible for Kickstart Scheme funding, 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 placement.
For more infomation go to https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-kickstart-scheme-grant