When Rishi Sunak announced the Kickstart scheme as part of his Summer Economic update, it sounded like a great opportunity for businesses to recruit younger workers into new jobs as he urged every employer, “big or small, national or local” to hire as many Kickstarters as possible.

The original announcement stated:

• Younger people are the hardest hit in terms of retaining and finding jobs.
• For employers who recruit 16 to 24 year olds into new jobs, working a minimum of 25 hours per week and who are paid the equivalent of national minimum wage and receive training and support, the Government will pay six months of their salary as well as an element of the overheads.
• This is a non-repayable grant of up to £6,500 per employee.
• Businesses will be able to apply from August. There will be no cap on the places available for this scheme.

But when the details were announced this week it was revealed that to qualify, employers must offer a minimum of 30 job placements. This is highly unlikely to be possible for smaller, local businesses and effectively restricts the scheme to much bigger businesses.

Another example of a government scheme that is not fit for purpose and only supports big businesses. Will they ever learn?

Noel Guilford