• 19,672 jobs created for young people so far by landmark Kickstart Scheme
  • jobs in tech, film and TV, communications, fitness, and the charity sector among the roles on offer
  • more than 4,350 applications from employers and gateways

The landmark scheme, which gives 16-24-year olds a future of opportunity and hope by creating high-quality, government-subsidised jobs across Great Britain, began last week.

The Scheme has also received 4,359 applications from employers across Great Britain, with a wide range of jobs available, including in tech, construction, communications, fitness and media. New applications from employers are being accepted each week.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said:

Our country’s future will be built by the next generation, so it’s vital that we harness the talent of young people as we rebuild from the pandemic. But this isn’t just about kickstarting our economy, we’re giving opportunity and hope to thousands of young people, kickstarting their careers and offering them a brighter future.

Work and Pensions Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:

Every job created by the Kickstart Scheme is a potentially life-changing opportunity for a young person, and the heartening response of employers shows they recognise the huge value in giving youth a chance.

The pandemic has hit young people hard, but we are doing everything in our power to give them hope and the chance to find their place in the world of work.

Employers from all corners of the country have signed up, creating thousands of new and interesting jobs and helping us to level up as we build back better.

Young people have been some of the hardest hit by the pandemic and unemployment can have longstanding implications for their future jobs and wages. The Kickstart Scheme runs until December 2021 and is expected to create more than 250,000 high-quality jobs for them.

On a visit with the Prime Minister to a Tesco warehouse yesterday (11 November), the Chancellor met some young people who are set to start their Kickstart placements next week. Other businesses including Bloomberg, British Chambers of Commerce, Network Rail, Barnardo’s, YMCA, LADbible Group, Tech Nation, The Royal Mint, KFC, and Farrow & Ball have also committed to support the scheme. Over 500 gateways – organisations that act on behalf of employers offering 29 or less vacancies – have registered to help the smallest businesses to hire young people too.

Each job placement lasts six months and is fully funded by the government, helping young people build their confidence and experience in the workplace, while earning a regular wage. Young people on Kickstart will also get additional employment support and training to help them progress during their placement, with £1,500 available to employers to cover this training as well as other onboarding costs.

The scheme is just one part of a package of support for young people. The government has invested £1.6 billion in increasing the number of apprenticeships, traineeships and employment support schemes, helping people to build the skills they need to get back into work.

Further information

  • on 31 August, 523,000 jobs were furloughed where the employees were 24 and under
  • in August 2020, there were over 600,000 16-24-year-olds not in employment on Universal Credit
  • BBC Panorama found people aged 16-25 were more than twice as likely as older workers to have lost their job, while six in 10 saw their earnings fall
  • the scheme is open to people 16-24 years old, who are claiming Universal Credit, and are at risk of long-term unemployment
  • referrals to the scheme will run until December 2021 with the Kickstart Scheme expected to create hundreds of thousands of jobs for young people on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment, with those eligible referred through their Jobcentre Plus Work Coach
  • the government will fully fund each Kickstart placement – paying 100% of the age-relevant National Minimum Wage, National Insurance and pension contributions for 25 hours a week.
  • employers will be able to top up this wage, while the government will also pay employers £1,500 to set up support and training for people on a Kickstart placement, as well as helping pay for uniforms and other set up costs
  • more than 500 bodies have signed up to serve as gateways on the £2 billion programme, providing assistance to employers offering fewer than 30 vacancies under the scheme.
  • referrals to the Scheme will run until December 2021 – to find out more visit the Kickstart Scheme page