• Home
  • Business Support

KickStart Scheme/Apprenticeships

KickStart Scheme

The Kickstart Scheme is designed to create hundreds of thousands of high quality 6-month work placements for young people aged 16-24, who are claiming Universal Credit. 

Businesses of all sizes looking to create quality jobs for young people can apply to create new 6-month job placements for young people who are currently on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment. The job placements should support the participants to develop the skills and experience they need to find work after completing the scheme.

The Government will fund 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week, plus associated employer National Insurance contributions and employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions. In addition, businesses taking on a KickStart candidate can apply for £1,500 per job placement, which is available for setup costs, support and training.

How to apply

If you are applying for 30 or more job placements, you can apply directly here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-grant-through-the-kickstart-scheme

Any business looking to create fewer than 30 Kickstart placements, need to apply through an intermediary. Doncaster Chamber will support you with this – find out more here: https://www.doncaster-chamber.co.uk/kickstart

The Chamber will collate all opportunities and, for every 30 placements received, apply to government on your behalf.

Apprenticeship Incentives

The government have introduced payments to support organisations that take on new apprentices between 1 April 2021 and 30 September 2021. The payment is in addition to the existing £1,000 they’ll already get for taking on an apprentice who is: aged 16 to 18 years old under 25 and has an education, health and care plan or has been in the care of their local authority Employers will receive:  

  • For apprentices aged 16 to 24, employers will receive £2,000
  • For apprentices aged 25 and over, employers will receive £1,500

You must apply for these apprentices before 31 May 2021.

Employers will receive £3,000 for new apprentices of any age who join their organisation from 1 April 2021 to 30 September 2021.

You can apply for incentive payments for these apprentices from 1 June 2021 to 30 November 2021.

What can you use the payment for?

The payment is different to apprenticeship levy funds and businesses can spend it on anything to support their organisation’s costs. For example, they could spend it on facilities, uniforms, their apprentice’s travel or their salary. Businesses do not have to pay it back.

If you are a business considering creating an apprentice opportunity and would benefit from recruitment advice and support, please contact our Advance team at or visit www.advancedoncaster.co.uk

Last updated: 29 April 2022, 12:43