Youth Employment Incentive Scheme

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A decision made 22 May 2014:

Decision Reference: MD-S-2014-0063
Decision Summary Title:	Youth Incentive		Date of Decision Summary:	20 May 2014
Decision Summary Author:	Head of Back to Work		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title:	Youth Incentive		Date of Written Report:	20 May 2014
Written Report Author:	Operations Director		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Youth Incentive
Decision(s): The Minister decided to implement a non-statutory Youth Incentive scheme with effect from 7 May 2014 to provide financial support to employers recruiting locally qualified young people who are registered as long-term unemployed into permanent employment.
Reason(s) for Decision: To reduce the number of young people who are long term unemployed. The Youth Incentive will encourage employers to recruit jobseekers aged 16-24 who have been registered as actively seeking work for over 6 months into permanent employment. Under this scheme employers may claim incentive payments of up to £6,500 for providing qualifying candidates with permanent contracts of at least 35 hours paid employment per week. The scheme is ongoing, subject to review, until December 2015 in line with the Medium Term Financial Plan.
Resource Implications: There are no manpower implications. The additional administration will be absorbed within existing Social Security processes. The cost of the Youth Incentive has been estimated at £650,000. These calculations are based on 100 eligible clients securing full time permanent employment under the initiative. The cost will be met through existing Back to Work funds.
Action required: Operations Director to implement Youth Incentive
Signature:		Position: Minister
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):