The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to employers for creating job placements for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit, aiming to reduce youth unemployment. Employers can receive 100% of the national minimum wage for 25 hours a week over six months, alongside additional funding for employability support. Applications require a minimum of 30 placements, and organizations can partner with an approved Kickstart gateway for assistance in administration and recruitment.

1. The Kickstart Scheme provides funding
to employers to create job placements
for 16 to 24 year olds.
Michelle Hogg
Kickstart & Employability
Manager
Martin Chandler
Digital Engagement Manager

2. Kickstart Webinar
How the scheme works
Job placement criteria
Kickstart Scheme Funding
Applying for the Kickstart Scheme
Kickstart Gateway
Application Process
Our offer of services
Points to consider
Q&A

3. How the scheme works

4. 100% of the National Minimum Wage (or the National
Living Wage depending on the age of the participant)
for 25 hours per week for a total of 6 months
associated employer National Insurance contributions
employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions
The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to create new job
placements for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit who
are at risk of long term unemployment.
Employers of all sizes can apply for funding which covers:
Employers can spread the start date of the job placements
up until the end of December 2021.
How the scheme works

5. 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 an existing Kickstart gateway,
such as a local authority, charity or trade body for help
applying.
Further funding is available to provide support so that
young people on the scheme can get a job in the future.
How the scheme works

6. Job placement criteria

7. replace existing or planned vacancies
cause existing employees, apprentices or
contractors to lose work or reduce their
working hours
The job placements created with Kickstart Scheme
funding must be new jobs.
The job placements must not:
Job placement criteria

8. be a minimum of 25 hours per week, for 6 months
pay at least the National Minimum Wage or the
National Living Wage for the employee’s age group
only require basic training
Looking for long-term work, including career
Support with curriculum vitae (CV) and
Developing their skills in the workplace
The job placements must:
For each job placement you must help the young
person become more employable.
advice and setting goals
interview preparations
Job placement criteria

9. Kickstart Scheme Funding

10. Kickstart Scheme Funding
100% of National Minimum Wage (or the National
Living Wage depending on the age of the participant)
for 25 hours per week for a total of 6 months
associated employer National Insurance
contributions
employer minimum automatic enrolment
contributions
Funding will cover for each job placement:
Employers can pay a higher wage and for more
hours but the funding will not cover this.

11. Looking for long-term work, including career
CV creation and interview preparation
Basic work skills, such as attendance
You’ll get £1,500 funding per job placement. This is for
setup costs and to support the young person develop
their employability skills. This training and support must
include:
advice and setting goals
timekeeping and teamwork (employablity,
including basic work skills, such as
attendance, timekeeping and teamwork, or
sector/role specific training
Kickstart Scheme Funding

12. enrolled on your payroll
being paid through Pay As You Earn (PAYE)
DWP will use information from HMRC to check that
the young person is still employed.
The grant funding to pay the young person’s salary
will be paid in monthly arrears when:
You can pay a higher wage and for more hours but
the funding will not cover this.
Kickstart Scheme Funding

13. The £1,500 setup costs will be paid when the young
person starts the job placement.
If you get someone else to do some of the job
placement setup and employability support for you,
such as your Kickstart gateway, you’ll have to
agree how you will share this money.
Kickstart Scheme Funding

14. Applying for the
Kickstart Scheme

15. Applying for the Kickstart Scheme
Application approval, can take up to eight weeks.
If you are an employer looking to create 30 or more jobs
placements between now and December 2021. You can
apply directly using the gov.uk portal.
If your organisation is creating fewer than 30 job
placements, you cannot apply directly.
In both scenarios, you have the option to partner
with Pathway Group as your approved Kickstart
Gateway, where we will administer the scheme
on your behalf.

16. Getting the young people into
the job placements

17. Getting the young people
Your Kickstart gateway will give job
descriptions to DWP that work coaches
at Jobcentre Plus will use.
The work coaches will match suitable
candidates to the job placements.
You’ll then be able to interview the
candidates matched to your job
placements.
You’ll select the candidate best suited
to the role.
Kickstart Scheme job placements are only
available for Universal Credit claimants aged
16 to 24 who are referred to you by DWP.
If your application is successful:

18. Getting the young people
Funding will only be given if a young person is hired using
the Kickstart Scheme process.
After a job placement ends you can get another
Kickstart Scheme young person to start another job
placement.

19. Kickstart Gateway
Pathway Group are an approved
Kickstart Gateway

20. Kickstart Gateway
Gather information about the job placements
on offer
Use this information to apply for approval
Make the necessary payments
Expertise to help the onboarding and
training young people
Provide wrap around employability support
As an approved Kickstart Gateway, we will
administer the scheme on your behalf:
In addition, we can also provide services for:

21. Application Process

22. Application Process
Making your application to us via our website portal
We will conduct a desktop due diligence review of your
application and then apply for Kickstart funding
The final funding decision is made by DWP
Your placements are advertised with Job Centre Plus
Work Coaches refer suitable applicants
If required - we will co-ordinate Recruitment and
Selection
The employer makes final decision on successful
placement
Our Kickstart Gateway application process involves:

23. Application Process
To apply for Pathway Group to become your approved Kickstart
Gateway, you must apply directly online using our website:
pathwaygroup.co.uk/kickstart/

24. Our offer of services as your
Kickstart Gateway

25. Pathway Group Kickstart Gateway
For the past 20 years, Pathway Group have been at
the forefront of supporting individuals in upskilling
and reskilling.
Enhancing Knowledge, Developing Skills and Changing
Behaviours to Transform Communities
Pathway Group do this, by changing lives through
skills and work.
As a ESFA contract holder of Apprenticeship,
Traineeship, Adult Education Budget, and Advanced
Learner Loan, in addition to being an Ofsted rated
Good provider (Oct 2016).

26. Recruitment service - incorporating where
applicable DBS checks, advertisement of
placements, arranaging interviews
Employability training
Wrap around support
Accredited sector specific training courses
Progressions
Apprenticeships, other funded
programmes, support looking for
permanent employment
£1,000 per placement to cover:
£500 per placement to cover:
Option 1
Offer of services utilising the £1,500 per placement
Option 2 Option 3
YOUR
BUSINESS
YOUR
BUSINESS
Option 4
YOUR
BUSINESS
YOUR
BUSINESS
At this stage,these are still negotiable and will be discussed on placement approval.

27. Accredited sector specific training courses
Adult Social Care
Adverse Childhood Experience
Behaviour that Challenges
Business Administration
Business Start-Up
Business Improvement Techniques
Cancer Support
Care Certificate
Care Planning
Caring for Children & Young People
Children & Young People’s Mental Health
Cleaning Principles
Climate Change & Environment Awareness
Common Childhood Illness
Common Health Conditions
Counselling Skills
Customer Service
Customer Service in Care
Customer Service for Hospitality
Data Protection & Security
Dementia Care
Diabetes
Digital Skills
Digital Skills in Business Settings
Digital Skills in Care Settings

28. Accredited sector specific training courses
Dignity & Safeguarding
End of Life Care
Equality & Diversity
Falls Prevention Awareness
Fire Safety
First Aid
Food Hygiene
Infection Control
Information, Advice or Guidance
LGBT Inclusive in the Workplace
Lean Organisation Management
Learning Disabilities
Manual Handling
Mental Health Awareness
Mental Health First Aid
Nutrition & Health
Personal Care Needs
Personal Exercise, Health & Nutrition
Retail Knowledge
Safeguarding & Prevent
Safe Handling of Medicine
Specific Learning Difficulties
Team Leading
Technology Enabled Care
Tenant Support in Housing
Understanding Autism
Warehouse & Storage
Workplace Violence & Harassment

29. Points to consider

30. Points to consider
The placements need to be in addition to any
recruitment you may have undertaken.
There needs to added value and learning for
the young person- we always say to place
yourself in their shoes and look at it that way
please.
You will be competing with many employers in
this market place – how do you stand out to
these young people?
The young person may not have had a formal
job before and may need some additional
support to settle in to the workplace and
reach their potential.

31. Points to consider
If you wish to take a lead on recruitment that’s
great and we would encourage that – but our
advise is don’t try and do everything yourself -
consider us or other providers for pastoral care,
support and guidance to the young person and in
this way you will be giving something back as
well.

32. Thank you
Its early days with this programme and a few things
can/will change.
Where needed – we will keep you informed but that’s
simply it for now.
If you have any further questions or you need
clarification then please make contact.
If you wish to proceed with us and we would
welcome the opportunity then please apply:
pathwaygroup.co.uk/kickstart/

33. Questions & Answers

34. Questions & Answers
Michelle Hogg
michelle.hogg@pathwaygroup.co.uk
07757 670516
Martin Chandler
martin.chandler@pathwaygroup.co.uk
07943 212217
pathwaygroup.co.uk/kickstart/
kickstart@pathwaygroup.co.uk
0121 708 0731