Kickstart youth jobless plan helps 100,000

More than 100,000 young people have so far started new roles under the government's £2bn Kickstart jobs scheme, latest figures show.

The programme, which launched in September 2020, targets youths at risk of long-term unemployment.

However, money is available for up to 250,000 roles.

Ministers are now appealing for employers to come forward with job offers before the scheme closes on 17 December.

"Having hit the 100,000 milestone, we are now on the last lap and I encourage employers and young people to take advantage of this opportunity," said Work and Pensions Secretary Thérèse Coffey.

Under the scheme, businesses apply to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to create Kickstart places, which are then vetted for suitability.

Young people aged between 16 and 24 who are on Universal Credit are matched to roles by their job centre work coaches.

They are then interviewed by the prospective employer, which decides whether or not to take them on.

For each successful placement, the government covers the national minimum wage for a six-month period, at 25 hours per week.

A further £1,500 grant is available per placement to help cover set-up costs and assist in developing skills.

Take-up was initially slow, as coronavirus restrictions made it difficult for more young people to get started, but participation has picked up as the economy has reopened.

According to the DWP, an average of more than 3,400 young people started Kickstart jobs each week over the past month.

Employers taking part in the scheme include Yorkshire Water, Pinewood Studios, JD Sports, the English Football League Trust and SeaGrown, the UK's first off-shore seaweed farm.

Mr Sunak said: "Our future success depends on our young people, which is why we introduced the Kickstart scheme to give them the skills, experience and opportunities they need to reach their full potential.

"I've seen first-hand how it has transformed people's lives, so I am proud that 100,000 young people have started Kickstart jobs, with the scheme continuing to help young people into next year as we emerge from the pandemic."