Wage incentives could be yours when you take on an unemployed 18 to 24 year old and are available through Jobcentre Plus across England, Scotland and Wales. They are also available if you take on a young person from the Work Programme, delivered by the private, public and voluntary sector to help individuals at risk of becoming long-term unemployed find work.
In addition, wage incentives are available for taking on a young disabled person from the Work Choice programme.
How it works
If you take on a young person for 16 hours or more each week in a job lasting more than 26 weeks then you could claim an incentive.
There are two rates:
- for part-time work between 16 and 29 hours
- a week – £1,137.50
- for full-time work of 30 hours or more a week – £2,275.
This will be paid 26 weeks after the employee starts work. Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees can claim a part payment eight weeks after the employee starts work.
Who can claim?
Wage incentives are available to private, voluntary and community sectors and social enterprise employers. Central government departments, their executive agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) will be excluded from claiming them, however the wider public sector such as NHS trusts, will not.
For more information