Young people returning to work are being urged to check if they are eligible for Job Start Payment.
Over 1,000 young people have already benefited from this support since it launched in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s more than £277,000 invested so far in helping those whose job prospects have been hardest hit over the past year.
Many businesses will be recruiting again as restrictions lessen in many local authority areas, and 16-24 year olds beginning or returning to work may be eligible for money to help with the cost of starting a new job.
Job Start Payment is now £252.50, or £404 if the applicant has children and is available to young people who have been on certain benefits for six months or more. Money can be spent on anything they need including travel costs, new clothes or childcare.
Figures released today cover the period from 17 August 2020, when Job Start Payment launched, to 31 March 2021.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Security Shirley-Anne Somerville said:
“We don’t want the costs of starting a new job to be what stops people taking up opportunities. COVID-19 has had a major impact on the job market and it has had a significant impact on prospects for many young people.
“As we emerge from lockdown, I strongly encourage any young people who have recently started a new job or about to start a new job to check if they are eligible for Job Start Payment and apply now.”
People can apply for Job Start Payment for up to three months after their start date.