The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) will act as a gateway organisation for the government’s Kickstart Scheme.
The professional body has received approval from the Department for Work and Pensions to arrange job placements for 16- to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long-term unemployment.
Some 36 insurance and financial advice firms, including Zurich, Aston Lark, Foresight Financial Planning and Willis Owen, will offer job placements to 58 youngsters in the coming weeks.
Once the initial job placements have been filled, the CII will be in contact with its insurance and personal finance members to ask if they are able to accommodate any further job placements.
The government’s Kickstart Scheme provides funding to create new job placements, which must be additional roles rather than already-existing vacancies, for 16- to 24-year-olds who are on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment.
Employers of all sizes can apply for funding, which covers:
- 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 six months.
- Associated employer National Insurance contributions.
- Employer minimum automatic-enrolment pension contributions.
Employers can spread the start date of the job placements up to the end of December 2021.
Employers can apply directly at: www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-kickstart-scheme-grant
