How could the kickstart scheme benefit a small business?

Following on from my article about the Kickstart Scheme last month I thought that I would talk a bit more about the benefit of taking part in the scheme.

There’s been a lot of talk about the scheme and how it will help young people on universal credit but that’s all very well, small businesses that have been through a lot in the last 12 months. They need more reason than a warm fuzzy feeling from helping someone get work experience so they can go and work for someone else at the end of 6 months.

A quick reminder, what is the Kickstart Scheme?

The Kickstart scheme is an idea that the UK government put forward in September 2020, the idea is to help 16 to 24 year olds, who are on universal credit and at risk of long-term employment, to gain relevant work experience and employability support to help them get into long-term work as soon as possible. The scheme runs until December 2021 at present but it is expected that the scheme will be extended beyond that date due to the significant take up so far.

What can you get out of it?

First of all, the obvious, each Kickstart placement lasts 6 months, and the DWP will fund the Kickstart employee’s salary for 25 hours per week at the appropriate minimum wage for their age. This means that you will get a part-time employee for 6 months at no cost to you! If you need some help in the office, the warehouse, doing your social media, making deliveries etc. but don’t have the money to employ someone, a Kickstarter could be the solution you need. At the end of the 6 months you an replace them with another Kickstarter or, maybe, your business will now be in a position to take them on permanently.

What if you don’t have a desperate need for help but are trying to decide whether to expand the business and take on your first member of staff?

Again, a Kickstarter would be a great way to dip your toes in the water. At no cost to you, you get to find out what it’s like to employ someone. Do they take up too much of your time or do they free you to go out and get more business? This could be the start of growing your business, building a team and taking the next step in your business journey.

Don’t forget the PR aspect either! Look at the free publicity these companies are getting for taking part in the scheme.

This sort of advertising can cost a small fortune but the Kickstart scheme turns your advertorial into a news story so news outlets will include it for free!

IT’S FREE!

Whatever your reason for taking on a Kickstart employee, it shouldn’t cost you a penny as the salary is paid for by the HMRC and the £1,500 grant should cover the costs for training, uniform and equipment. You can also outsource the employability training to companies such as The Job Guru

so you don’t have to spend time on something that doesn’t directly benefit your business. This means that you can focus on your business and the benefit that the Kickstarter is bringing to it.

What support can you expect?

As the Kickstart scheme has matured, the support has matured as well. The potential Kickstarter is supported by their Work Coach but you are also supported by an Employer Support Team with a dedicated contact. They will work to make sure you are getting the right applicants for your vacancy and encourage the Work Coaches to refer more candidates to your vacancy.

Companies like The Job Guru will also provide support through the process from applying to the scheme to finding your Kickstarter as well as providing the mandatory training. All this is covered by the Kickstart grant so it won’t cost your business any money.

For more information about the scheme, why not join our next webinar https://thejobguru.eventbrite.co.uk

If you are interested in learning more about this scheme, you can:

Visit www.thejobguru.co.uk/kickstart-scheme/ or email kickstart@thejobguru.co.uk or call 02142 644344