News

Government launches £2 billion ‘Kickstart Scheme’ to create new jobs for young people

It will provide a range of fully subsidised six-month placements to those aged 16-24 who are at risk of long-term unemployment.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 2nd September 2020
Pixabay

The government has today announced the launch of a new £2 billion pound Kickstart Scheme aimed at creating “hundreds of thousands of new jobs for young people” across the UK.

The Kickstart Scheme is part of Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak’s #PlanForJobs.

Under the new scheme, a number of fully subsidised six-month placements will be open to those aged 16-24 who are currently claiming Universal Credit and are thus at risk of long-term unemployment.

These placements will be available across a range of different sectors in England, Scotland and Wales, and the first placements are likely to be available from November.

According to a statement released today on the gov.uk website, employers will be able to receive funding for 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25-hours a week, plus associated employer National Insurance contributions and employer minimum auto-enrolment pension contributions. There will also be extra funding available to support young people in building up their experience and helping them move into sustained employment after they have completed their Kickstart-funded job.

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Whilst the Kickstart Scheme is not to be misinterpreted as an apprenticeship, participants may move on to an apprenticeship at any time during, or after their job placement.

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How does the Kickstart Scheme work?

Employers in can use the Kickstart Scheme to create new six-month job placements for young people age 16-24, and they should support the participants to develop the skills and experience that they need to find work after completing the scheme.

Funding is available for 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25-hours a week, plus associated employer National Insurance contributions and employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions, and can be accessed following a successful application process.

There is also £1,500 per job placement available for setup costs, support and training.

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Applications must be for a minimum of 30 job placements, and if an employer is unable to offer this many job placements, they then have the opportunity to partner with other organisations to reach the minimum number.

Those applying on behalf of a group of employers can also get an additional £300 of funding to support with the associated administrative costs of bringing together these employers.

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Who can apply for funding?

According to the gov.uk criteria, any organisation can apply for funding, but the job placements created with Kickstart Scheme funding must be new jobs and They must not replace existing or planned vacancies, or cause existing employees or contractors to lose or reduce their employment.

The roles that employers apply for Kickstart Scheme funding for must be:

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  • A minimum of 25 hours per week for six 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.

Each application should include how employers will help the participants to develop their skills and experience, including support to look for long-term work, including career advice and setting goals, support with CV and interview preparations, and supporting the participant with basic skills, such as attendance, timekeeping and teamwork.

Once a job placement is created, it can be taken up by a second person once the first successful applicant has completed their six-month term.

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How to apply?

Applications for the Kickstart Scheme are being accepted now from employers, or groups of employers.

If your organisation is creating more than 30 job placements as part of the Kickstart Scheme, you can submit your application directly here, but if your organisation is creating fewer than 30 job placements, you cannot apply directly and you must partner with other organisations in order to create a minimum of 30 job placements before applying.

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You can find out more about becoming or finding a representative for a group of employers here.

More information about the Kickstart Scheme is available via the gov.uk website here.

News

Manchester’s newest hotel launches massive recruitment drive with 100+ jobs available

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

One of Manchester’s newest hotels has launched a massive recruitment drive with more than 100 jobs available to locals.

The Medlock, Manchester’s bold new 401-bedroom hotel – which is born from a partnership between Manchester City Football Club and Radisson Hotel Group, and is set to open later this year in the autumn – is looking for new team members across a wide range of areas, including front of house, housekeeping, engineering, and reservations.

To welcome these new team members onboard, the hotel has now launched a massive recruitment drive with dozens of roles available to local people.

Individuals who bring ‘authenticity, pride, and personality’ to everything they do are encouraged to apply for the roles – which go live early next week (Monday 27 April).

Aimed at boosting employment within the local community, vacancies span front-of-house, housekeeping, engineering and reservations.

The recruitment drive – delivered in partnership with Total People – is being lead by Valor Hospitality, the hotel’s operator chosen for its global expertise and people-first approach to hospitality, and will be offering tailored training programmes that are designed to make careers in hospitality accessible to Manchester residents.

Vocational qualifications across a range of skills will help individuals build confidence and step into rewarding roles in the industry, and it also means prior experience is not entirely necessary.

More than 100 roles will be available to local people / Credit: Supplied

General Manager Richard Pearson says the recruitment drive is a ‘unique opportunity to be part of an exciting partnership’.

“This is a milestone we’ve been eagerly anticipating, building the team that will bring The Medlock to life,” he added. “We’re looking for people who carry the spirit of Manchester with them, people who are proud of where they’re from and passionate about creating something special together.”

Read more:

As mentioned, all job adverts will go live next Monday (27 April) so hopefuls can get their applications submitted here.

This’ll then be followed by invite-only open days for shortlisted candidates in mid May.

Featured Image – Supplied

News

UK passes bill to ban everyone born after 2008 from smoking in ‘historic’ moment

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

In what is described as being a ‘historic moment’, the UK has now passed a bill to ban everyone born after 2008 from ever buying tobacco products.

It’s been a long time coming, but the final draft of the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill completed its journey through the Houses of Commons and Lords yesterday (21 April 2026), and is now on its way to receiving royal assent to officially become the law.

For those unfamiliar, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will stop people who were born on or after 1 January 2009 from ever taking up smoking.

It will also give Government ministers new powers to regulate tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products – including their flavours and packaging, which make them more appealing to younger generations.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has hailed the bill’s passing as a ‘historic moment for the nation’s health’ on the road to creating a smoke-free generation.

Person smoking a cigarette
The UK has passed a bill to ban everyone born after 2008 from smoking / Credit: Lil Artsy (via Pexels)

“Children in the UK will be part of the first smoke-free generation, protected from a lifetime of addiction and harm,” Mr Streeting said after the bill was passed this week.

“Prevention is better than cure. This reform will save lives, ease pressure on the NHS, and build a healthier Britain.”

The ban on purchasing tobacco products for those born after 2008 was first mooted by Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Government a number of years back, but was eventually shelved ahead of the 2024 General Election, and then revived again by Labour when they took power.

The bill’s passing parliament has been welcomed by charities and campaign groups – most notably Cancer Research UK.

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“This is a historic achievement that will shield our children from the devastating grip of tobacco addiction and help to put an end to cancers caused by smoking,” concluded Michelle Mitchell, who is the Chief Executive Officer at Cancer Research.

Featured Image – Pxhere

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