Labour demands assurances that government Kickstart scheme will lead to meaningful job opportunities for young people across the country

• Delivers high quality placements with training opportunities built in;
• Supports smaller businesses not just large employers;
• Transitions for participants into long lasting employment.

In July, there were over a million young people not in full-time education nor employment, accounting for one in six young people. Despite the scale of the jobs crisis facing young people there is still little detail on how the Kickstart scheme will work in practice. Labour are pushing for answers on crucial questions for the scheme’s success, demanding clarity for businesses and young people.

Labour will press the Government to confirm how it will promote the scheme to small business, how it will ensure jobs are genuinely new roles, what quality benchmark will be applied to Kickstart vacancies and how the Government will target the scheme at young people who are most in need of assistance.

The success of Labour’s Future Jobs Fund was due to the formation of local partnerships to create long term jobs for young people. Labour is calling on the Government to confirm what correspondence has taken place with local authorities on how they will support the scheme.

Jonathan Reynolds MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions said:

“Billions of pounds of public money are being poured into Kickstart so we must ensure it creates meaningful job opportunities for young people across the country. Once again, this Government has been forthcoming with announcements but sparse on details. Ministers must come to the House and confirm crucial details about how this scheme will actually work.

“The Government has had two months to get this scheme up and running but it is clear they have made little progress. Young people and businesses can't afford any more delay and incompetence from this Government.”