How can you use the Kickstart Scheme to Build your Business?

The Kickstart Scheme opened on 2nd September 2020, and provides funding for organisations to create new job placements for 16- to 24-year-olds currently on Universal Credit, who are at risk of long-term unemployment.

The scheme is a big avenue of support to small businesses creating job placements for younger people, and will run at least till December 2021.

Under the Kickstart Scheme the government will fund 100% of the national minimum wage (including national insurance and pension contributions for 25 hours a week) to employers.

The purpose of the scheme is not just to create job placements for younger people at a long-term unemployment risk, but also to help them develop the skills and experience to find work at a later stage.

Who Can Apply For Funding?

Employers of all sizes can apply for funding, although the job positions must be newly created for the scheme, and must not replace existing or planned vacancies, or put existing employees and contractors at risk of losing hours or their employment as a whole.

Job positions should also not require people to have to undertake extensive training before they begin the job.

Once a job placement is created, it can be taken up by a second person once the first successful applicant has completed a 6-month term. In addition, a Kickstart Scheme application must be for a minimum of 30 job placements.

If a single employer cannot provide this many job placements, they can find a Kickstart gateway, or employer representative (such as a local authority, charity or trade body) for help with this.

Benefits of the Kickstart Scheme for Businesses

So what are the main benefits for your business?

Firstly, you essentially get an extra employee without the overheads, as the worker’s pay is completely funded by the Government. It’s a great opportunity to build and grow your business, creating a position that will free up time for yourself or other workers to concentrate on more pressing and critical tasks.

You’re also bolstering your reputation as a business by showcasing yourself as a trainer rather than just an employer. Effectively you’re doing your bit as an agent of change, helping with building the future of the workforce and creating a more skilled Britain!

You’re also changing someone’s life - offering them an opportunity that they might otherwise never have been given by employing them under the scheme.

Getting Started with the Kickstart Scheme

Did you know that we can help at DNS with recruiting eligible candidates to help build your business?

Our employer representative services can help you create a minimum of 30 job placements and nominate any one of them for application processing before applying through the Kickstart scheme application.

We can also help to:

• Check your eligibility to apply under the scheme
• Gather information from you about the job placements you’d like to offer and use this information to submit an online application
• Pass on the relevant payments made by the DWP to you

As your representative, we have the relevant expertise to help you onboard and train young people employed through the scheme.

To find out about our employer representative services, please get in touch!

About the author

Sumit Agarwal
Sumit Agarwal (ACMA ACA India), the Managing partner of dns accountants is a highly respected accountant with expertise in helping owner-managed businesses.