Young people urged to apply for Job Start Payment

Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison has urged eligible young people to apply for Job Start Payment if they are starting a new job after a period of unemployment.

Eligible 16-24 year olds, who have been on certain benefits for six months or more, can apply for the one-off payment worth £252.50, or £404 if the applicant has children. The payment will help with the costs of starting a job including travel, new clothes or childcare.

Ms Robison visited Remploy’s offices in Dundee to meet hairdresser Mystialeigh Smith who recently used the payment to buy work clothes and travel.

Ms Robison said:

“We want to give our young people all the support they need when they start work including making sure the costs associated with taking up a job don’t get in the way. We know lockdown has impacted job opportunities for many young people and getting money to those who need it is our priority.

“Access to this support is a right, and we are ensuring people receive all the financial support that they are entitled to.

“It is great to see organisations across the private and public sector highlighting the availability of Job Start Payment to their new employees. I strongly encourage all eligible young people who have recently started a new job or are about to start a new job to apply now.”

Peter Craig, Contracts Director at Remploy said:

"The pandemic has had a major impact on the lives of our service users across Scotland. The Job Start Payment will be invaluable to young people accepting a job, helping them with any associated costs such as travel or childcare.”

Mystialeigh Smith 17, from Dundee, an apprentice hairdresser at Macintyres hairdressers who accessed Job Start Payment, said:

“Upon gaining employment my keyworker advised me to apply for the Job Start Payment on the social security website. It took roughly two weeks to go into my bank and it helped me buy work clothes and travel until I received my first pay.”

People can apply for Job Start Payment for up to three months after their start date.

Background

• People can find out more and apply through mygov.scot or by calling 0800 182 2222
• Remploy is a leading provider of specialist employment and skills support for disabled people, those with health conditions and the long-term unemployed, and delivers the Fair Start Scotland employability service in the city.

• The visit coincided with a Social Security Scotland social media campaign kicking off to raise awareness of Job Start Payment to those in the target age range.

• The person must have been out of paid work and in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits (Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit) for six months or more at the time of the job offer.
• If they are a care leaver, they can access this support up to 25 years of age. They also just need to be on a qualifying benefit when they get the job offer, they don’t need to have been in receipt of this benefit for six months.