Scotland’s Employer Recruitment Incentive

Introduction

Scotland’s Employer Recruitment Incentive is an employer recruitment incentive which aims to help unemployed young people with additional support needs aged 16-29 years in to sustainable employment (including Modern Apprenticeships) and to encourage and support micro and small businesses to recruit and sustain young MA’s aged 16-24 into their work place.

This incentive is funded by the Scottish Government, with the criteria set by the Skills Development Scotland Co. Ltd (SDS). The Highland Council is managing the scheme for the Highland Council area.

What type of employment will be supported?

In summary:

  • Where a Young Person aged 16-24 enters a Modern Apprenticeship with a small / micro business of less than 50 employees.
  • Where a Young person aged 16-29 with Additional Support Needs enters employment or a Modern Apprenticeship with any size of employer
  • Where a Young Person aged 16-24 with Barriers to Employmententers employment or a Modern Apprenticeship with any size of employer.

For details of categories for additional support needs (group 1) and Barriers to employment (Group 2) please see table, page 2 and 3.

Small and micro business who employ an MA will not be able to recruit more than 2 participants through this programme.

There is no restriction in the number of young people with Additional Support Needs and Employer can support through the incentive if the capacity to do so is demonstrated.

Will contracts be required?

The participant must receive a written contract of employment and should either be a permanent contract; a fixed term contract for 52 weeks or more; or a fixed term contract for the duration of a modern apprenticeship. The Business Gateway can provide free support with the development of contracts if required. A participant must work 16 ours or more per week.

What will be the level of recruitment incentive support and what can it be spent on?

The incentive will be available to use as a contribution to the additional costs of recruiting and sustaining a young person in employment, including an MA. The incentive can be utilised in a number of ways such as for additional supervisory costs, training, initial travel to work costs or wages. No single use is prescribed.

The incentive rates are follows:

Activation payment on commencement / £350
Payment after 3 months (12 weeks) completion of employment / £903.25 – no payment for less than 12 weeks
Payment after 6 months (26 weeks) completion of employment / £903.25 – no payment for less than 26 weeks
Payment after 12 months (52 weeks) & on presentation of evidence that the job has been sustained. / £1,806.50- 52 weeks must be completed in full to obtain payment.
Living Wage supplement - An additional payment is made if the living wage is paid to the participant at the end of the 52 weeks to be paid on completion / £500- on evidence that living wage is being paid at the 52 week completion.

Group 1 and 2 Categories – Additional Support Needs and Barriers to Employment

Appropriate evidence will be required to determine eligibility.

Group 1 (Age 16 – 29) - Eligibility list for those with additional support needs:
  • care leaver* or looked after young person or care experienced young person
  • carer* (ie has a significant role in looking after someone else who is experiencing illness or disability. Or a young parent. Such a person shall be referred to as a ‘carer’.);
  • person with a disability or long-term health condition*[1].
  • an ex-offender* (i.e. has been convicted or cautioned for a criminal offence and has completed their sentence) or a person who has completed a Community Payback Order.
  • ethnic minority groups;
  • person who has failed their ESA Work Capability Assessment;
  • Work Programme completers who remain unemployed;
  • long-term unemployed (6 months or over) who are not on the Work Programme or Community Work Placements;
*This target group will be eligible for additional in-work support through the Open Doors Consortium.
Group 2 (16 – 24) - Eligibility list for those barriers to employment:
  • early leaver from the armed forces, veterans, ex-Armed Forces personnel;
  • partner of current or ex-Armed Forces personnel;
  • person requiring support with language, literacy or numeracy, including those for whom English is an additional language;
  • lone parent;
  • Gypsy/travelling community;
  • person with lower than SCQF Level 5 qualification;
  • a young person who was receiving additional support for learning in school due to one or more of the following factors which presented a barrier to their learning; learning environment; family circumstances; disability or health need; social or emotional factors; and which may also present barriers to entering the workplace;
  • refugee or other granted leave to stay in the UK;
  • homeless person (including temporary or unstable accommodation);
  • person affected by substance misuse.

Which Jobs will not be eligible?

  • Zero hours contracts
  • Unpaid voluntary work
  • Registration with a recruitment agency or other 3rd Party
  • Employment fully or part financed by additional public sector funding including intermediate labour market (ILM) or European Social Funded (ESF projects.
  • Taking part in voluntary work, other work that is not subject to a contract of employment nor registration with an employment agency unless being employed solely for the agency and no other party.

Which participants will not be eligible?

  • Young people who are, on day one of employment but meet one or more of the following –
  • are of compulsory school age;
  • Young people currently supported through adopt an apprentice or Adopt and Intern
  • if they fall within Group 1 Annex B, but are aged 30 or over;
  • if they fall within Group 2 Annex B, but are aged 25 or over;
  • attending school or college full-time as a learner or student ;
  • in full-time higher education;
  • have an existing contract of employment(including as a Modern Apprentice) ;
  • an ineligible overseas national;
  • in custody or on remand in custody;
  • in receipt of an Education Maintenance Allowance;
  • in receipt of any other SG/SDS/DWP ERI;
  • not domiciled in Scotland;
  • participating inthe Work Programme or any other mandated DWP initiative

How to Apply

Step 1 / Call the Highland Council on 01463 702092 to discuss your potential application. Highland Council will:
  • Request some basic information about your business;
  • Obtain some information on the type of position what you intend to offer a young person

Step 2 / Once a recruit has been identified a full application form requires to be completed to allow for eligibility of recruit to be confirmed. It is only at this stage that an offer of grant will be provided.
Step 3 / Initial activation payment of £350 will be paid once an eligible participant enters a job or Modern Apprenticeship. 12 week, 26 week and 52 week payments paid on evidence that recruit is still in post.

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