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Job Start Payments hailed as over 3000 young Scots benefit


By Alan Beresford

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YOUNG people in Scotland have benefited from more than £270,000 from the Job Start Payment scheme since its launch.

MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast Karen Adam
MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast Karen Adam

Research from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) has found that the initiative has received 3190 applications and has paid £277,450 to support young people getting into work.

The Job Start Payment was launched in September 2020 and is available to young people aged between 16-24 to pay for travel and new clothes when starting a new job.

Young Scots are being encouraged to apply for the scheme to support them if they have been on certain benefits for more than six months.

The scheme was praised by Banffshire and Buchan Coast SNP MSP Karen Adam.

She said: “Young people have been amazing throughout this pandemic even though so many career prospects have been hindered because of the impact of Covid.

"The SNP Scottish Government recognise that young people are well deserving and in need of additional support to find a job in the current difficult circumstances.

“For so many, beginning a new job is financially costly, particularly if you have not had a source of income for months. This Job Start Payment helps remove the barriers of starting a new job.

“I am so delighted to see that more than £270,000 has been paid out so far to Scotland’s young people, and as we continue to recover from this pandemic where more jobs will become available, I know more young people will be looking for support, therefore, I would encourage as many people who are eligible to apply to do it.

“The SNP is committed to supporting our young people in gaining employment opportunities. On one hand we have a Scottish Government working to help our people back into work, and on the other hand we have a Westminster Tory Government slashing social security when people are relying on it most. The Tories must understand that most people do not have unlimited resources at their finger tips to start a new job, that is one of the reasons why providing a liveable social security safety net is so important.”

The Scottish Government statistics on the Job Start Payment to March 31 2021 can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/job-start-payment-high-level-statistics-to-31-march-2021/


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