Please find below a number of frequently asked questions for employers. Please note all of our information is as per current guidance from the DWP but may be subject to change.
If you’re a candidate, please visit our dedicated candidate FAQ page.
We offer flexible pricing solutions to meet the needs of our individual clients, depending on a number of factors including which level of service you require.
However, we guarantee that the cost of our services will never be more than the £1,500 grant you receive per placement and could be much lower.
In our experience, it typically takes 4-6 weeks for the DWP to approve an application and the placement can start once you have received applications from the job centre.
As the employer, you must initially pay your Kickstart employees in line with your usual payroll procedures. The grant funding to pay the young person’s salary will be paid in monthly arrears when the DWP have verified via HMRC that they are:
• enrolled on the Employer’s payroll
• being paid through Pay As You Earn (PAYE)
If you wish to take on a different candidate at the end of the initial 6 month period, you will need to re-apply for the placement to the DWP. If this is approved, then you will qualify for a further £1500 grant.
You have the right to terminate the placement early or a candidate may choose to leave your employment before the end of the 6 month placement. In either case, you will not have to repay the £1500 grant.
Yes, this should not be a problem.
Once the placement has been confirmed, the payment of up to £1500 will be within the first week of the claimant starting. You will receive this money minus any deduction for services delivered by Exemplia Group if you opt for our premium service.
The Kickstart scheme is set to last until the end of 2021 so claimants can start placements at different times as long as they have all started by December 2021.
It’s only Universal Credit (UC) claimants that can apply for Kickstart placements. If you have a specific person in mind that you’d like to employ through the scheme but they are not yet claiming UC, you could suggest they try applying for UC (via www.gov.uk) and if they’re eligible, then they can apply for a Kickstart placement with you once your placement is live on the UC system.
You will be allowed to make a decision on whether to accept a candidate who applies and should be able to interview and have the right to decline a candidate.