What is it?
The Kickstart Scheme is a £2 billion fund to create hundreds of thousands of high quality 6-month job placements for young people.
It was launched on the 8th July after the Chancellor announced the Kickstart Scheme as part of the Plan for Jobs. Funding available for each job placement will cover the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week, plus the associated employer National Insurance contributions and employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions. There will also be funding available to support young people to develop new skills and to help them move into sustained employment after they have completed their Kickstart funded job.
Through the scheme, you’ll be able to access a large pool of young people with potential, ready for an opportunity. We will initially prioritise young people aged between 16 and 24 who are ready for an opportunity and will be supported by their Jobcentre Plus work coach to enrol in the scheme.
What funding is available
Funding is available for:
- 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week
- associated employer National Insurance contributions
- employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions
There is also £1500 per job placement available for setup costs, support and training.
If you are applying on behalf of a group of employers, you can get £300 of funding for each job placement to support with the associated administrative costs of bringing together these employers.
Key information
The job placements created with Kickstart funding must be new jobs. They must not:
•replace existing or planned vacancies
•cause existing employees or contractors to lose or reduce their employment
The roles you are bidding for must be:
•a minimum of 25 hours per week, for 6 months
•paid at least the National Minimum Wage for their age group
•should not require people to undertake extensive training before they begin the job placement
All bids should include how you will help the participants to develop their skills and experience with:
•support to look for long-term work
•support with CV and interview preparation
•training to develop their skills, such as teamwork, organisation and communications as part of the role
Getting started
You can apply for a Kickstart Scheme grant by either:
- applying online yourself
- getting help from a Kickstart gateway who will support you to access the scheme (see a list of gateway organisations below).
If you would like further information on the Kickstart Scheme, please contact:
Hatfield and St Albans areas – Anne Stokes [email protected] 07752 03890
Hertford and Waltham Cross areas – Lena Brooks [email protected] 07917473815
Borehamwood, Hemel Hempstead and Watford areas – Amapreet Hullait [email protected] 07471 028147
Letchworth and Stevenage areas – Caroline Atkins [email protected] 07584 596866
Find a local gateway
What is a gateway?
A gateway is a local authority, charity or trade body.
Below is a list of gateway organisations who can help you with your application. Find the best one that suits you:
Apex 360
Email: [email protected]
Lead Project Director - Stewart Hunt - [email protected]
Working with companies that offer Sports Coaching, Dance Tuition, Physical Training, Large scale Inflatable Events, Nutritional Food and Hospitality.
Broxbourne Borough Council
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01992 785565
Working with: Broxbourne employers
St Albans BID
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01727251310
Working with: St Albans employers
Hertfordshire Growth Hub
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01707 398168
Working with: Hertfordshire employers
Communities 1st
Email: [email protected]
Working with: Voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in Hertfordshire
Watford Chamber of Commerce
Email: [email protected]
Working with: All employers of any size in East of England, South East and London
Vision Path
Email: [email protected]
Working with: SMEs in the A10 corridor - North London to Cambridgeshire
Visit Herts
Email: [email protected]
Working with: Hertfordshire businesses from the visitor economy including tourism, hospitality and leisure
Wenta
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01923 691 375
Working with: All employers in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and North London
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