Rother Valley businesses urged to sign up to £2million scheme to create jobs

Businesses across Rother Valley are being called upon to sign up to a landmark employment scheme and help young people into work.
Those on Universal Credit aged between 16-24 will be offered six-month work placements – with wages and training costs paid by the government.Those on Universal Credit aged between 16-24 will be offered six-month work placements – with wages and training costs paid by the government.
Those on Universal Credit aged between 16-24 will be offered six-month work placements – with wages and training costs paid by the government.

The new £2 billion Kickstart scheme will create thousands of new jobs for young people across the country as part of coronavirus recovery.

Alexander Stafford, MP for Rother Valley, has welcomed the scheme and called on local employers to sign up to mark the opening of the initiative.

Employers that sign up will be able to offer youngsters aged 16 to 24 who are claiming Universal Credit a six-month work placement that is fully funded by the government.

This means the government will pay 100 per cent of the young persons’ age-relevant National Minimum Wage, National Insurance and pension contributions for 25 hours a week, which the employer can top up if they chose to.

In addition, the government will also pay the employer £1,500 for each young person they take on, to support any training or associated costs like uniforms that they might incur when setting up the scheme.

Alexander Stafford MP said: “I’m calling on local employers across Rother Valley to sign up to provide Kickstart jobs.

“We cannot allow young people to be left behind as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Schemes like this will be vital for creating jobs and giving young people the skills needed to access them.

“I’m delighted that this Conservative government is putting young people at the heart of its plans to build back stronger after the pandemic and hope as many as possible in Rother Valley are able to take part.”

The scheme will initially be open until December 2021, but there is the option for it to be extended.

Young people will be referred into the new roles through their Jobcentre Plus work coach, with the first Kickstarts expected to begin at the start of November.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said: “This isn’t just about kickstarting our country’s economy – it is an opportunity to kickstart the careers of thousands of young people who could otherwise be left behind as a result of the pandemic.”

“The scheme will open the door to a brighter future.”