To ask the Minister for Communities for an update on the Kickstart Scheme she is developing for Northern Ireland; and how her Department’s scheme differs to the Kickstart Scheme in Great Britain.

The JobStart Scheme will help young people (16 – 24 year olds) at risk of long term unemployment get into the job market by providing government funding for employers to create six-month job opportunities with nine-month opportunities available for those young people who would benefit from having a longer period of time to settle into the job opportunity, and to allow adequate time for reasonable adjustments to be addressed.

The eligibility criteria for the JobStart Scheme includes any young person aged 16-24 on a working age benefit who is work ready, as well as those leaving care, those with disabilities and returning citizens who are ready for work.

Key Differences between Kickstart and JobStart

When Kickstart launched, employers could only submit a bid for funding if they were creating 30 or more jobs. This would have proved difficult to implement here as we have a higher proportion of small businesses. My Department’s intention has always been for employers to approach the Department for funding from the JobStart Scheme even if they wish to create just one opportunity.

Gateway organisations who act on behalf of small organisations receive funding of up to £9,000 per batch of 30 jobs from DWP. As my Department will not be using Gateway Organisations to ‘batch jobs’, our approach will save money for the taxpayer and make more funds available to help our young people.

Kickstart is limited to Universal Credit claimants whereas JobStart has been opened up to a wider group of young people including those on Job Seekers Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance and Income Support legacy benefits and those young people who fall into the ‘Not In Education, Employment or Training’ (NEET) category.

I have also given permission for the JobStart scheme to be extended from 6 months to 9 months for those with disabilities to allow these young people a longer period to settle into the job opportunity, and adequate time for reasonable adjustments to be addressed.