064/21 Confirmation of the position regarding ESF participants moving into Kickstart funded vacancies and ESF eligibility for people employed in Kickstart funded vacancies.
Updated 29 February 2024
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esf-action-notes-2014-to-2020-programme/06421-confirmation-of-the-position-regarding-esf-participants-moving-into-kickstart-funded-vacancies-and-esf-eligibility-for-people-employed-in-kicks
| Date Issued | 30 March 2021 |
| Review Date | 30March 2022 |
1. Who should read
All ESF funded projects, CFOs and IBs
2. Purpose
This Action Note updates the policy position set out in Action Note 061/21. It confirms the European Social Fund Managing Authority’s (ESF MA) position in respect of individuals on ESF support moving into Kickstart funded vacancies and in respect of Kickstart participants being eligible for ESF support. This note also clarifies the responsibility of the ESF project in ensuring compliance.
3. Background
The Kickstart Scheme has been created to address the predicted impact on youth unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kickstart Scheme vacancies are available to Universal Credit claimants aged 16 to 24 who are considered at risk of long term unemployment by their Work Coach. All Kickstart participants receive support to maximise the potential of the Kickstart opportunity and to increase their chances of securing long term sustainable employment.
DWP Work Coaches can identify claimants and refer them to a Kickstart Scheme vacancy. ESF projects cannot refer ESF participants to apply for a Kickstart Scheme vacancy, as they will not have direct access to them.
Individuals successful in their application will be employed. The Kickstart grant condition requires the employment contract to be for at least 25 hours a week and for pay to be at least at the relevant National Minimum Wage rate. In addition, a grant condition, is the provision of support aimed at enhancing employability. (This has been factored in to the value of the Grant).
This note confirms that individuals participating in ESF provision (apart from provision delivered by the DWP CFO) can be referred to Kickstart Scheme jobs if they meet the eligibility and suitability criteria. This note also confirms individuals in Kickstart jobs can receive ESF support where the individual has support needs which are above and beyond those that will be addressed by the employer. This support cannot replicate the support provided by the employer.
The ESF MA recognises that individual’s needs are wide and varied and some may need more intensive support than others. For these individuals, whose support needs have been identified as being above and beyond the support provided by the employer, ESF funded provision can be used to fund that additional support as part of the overall package of support provided to the individual.
It must be clear what these additional needs are and there must be no duplication of the support provided in meeting the employability support grant condition.
4. Action
Grant recipients are asked to note that as from the date of publication of this Action Note ESF participants are able to be referred to Kickstart vacancies. All referrals to assess eligibility and suitability for a Kickstart vacancy must be via a DWP Work Coach.
ESF grant recipients are advised of their responsibility to end the ESF provision in the event of the young person being successful in their application and starting a Kickstart job. Failure to do this could result in the grant recipient being required to re-pay the ESF grant attributable to that young person.
As set out in Action Note 061/21 ESF funded provision can be used to fund additional wraparound support for Kickstart participants as part of the overall package of support provided to the individual where the circumstances meet the purpose and intent of the ESF Operational Programme.
ESF funding must only be used to deliver support in addition to what is provided through the grant paid to the employer. It cannot be used to duplicate what is already being provided or replace existing planned support. The additional ESF support package must be agreed between the ESF project and the Kickstart employer and documented. The document must set out clearly the specific support needs that will be addressed by the employer and the support needs that will be addressed through ESF provision. The document must demonstrate that those support needs are in addition to those provided by the employer.
It is for the ESF project to demonstrate that the support they deliver to Kickstart participants is in direct response to support needs which are over and above those being addressed by the employer through the Kickstart support grant.
The ESF project is responsible for ensuring only eligible expenditure directly associated with the additional wraparound support is included in claims to the Managing Authority. Failure to do this could result in the grant recipient being required to re-pay the ESF grant attributable to that young person.
All documentation must be retained by the ESF project for verification and audit purposes.
5. Contact
If you have any questions about this Action Note please contact: esf.2014-2020@dwp.gov.uk