The Scottish Government is encouraging young people who are starting a new job to claim a unique cash boost which could help with additional costs. Eligible 16-24 year olds who are already receiving certain other benefits or Tax Credits can apply for Job Start Payment - a one-off payment worth £267.65, or £428.25 if the applicant has children.
Job Start Payment helps young people with the costs of starting a job after a period of being unemployed. The payment can help to pay for travel, work clothes or childcare.
Speaking at Start Scotland, which delivers an employability programme supporting young people in Edinburgh, Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson recently said: “Our Job Start Payment provides financial support for eligible young people who are starting a new job. We have provided this payment since summer 2020 and want to see even more people making use of it, particularly given the current cost of living pressures.”
He continued: “The payment is designed to support young people with the costs of starting a job by relieving financial pressures, as they wait for their first pay cheque.”
The minister also said the Scottish Government is helping young people to access education and employment by providing free bus travel to all under 22-year-olds.
He explained: “This will help young people travel sustainably, while cutting commuting costs for people starting a new job, meaning that young people can use their Job Start Payment to pay for other costs.”
Job Start Payment is only available to eligible young people and care leavers who live in Scotland and have been offered a job after being out of work for at least six months to the day they were offered the job.
Care leavers can also apply for a further year, up to the day before their 26th birthday, and only need to be out of work and in receipt of a qualifying benefit on the day of their job offer.
Qualifying benefits
You need to have got one of these benefits for at least six months on the date you got the job offer:
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
- Income Support (IS)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit (UC)
You need to have got either Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance (JSA) or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) on the date of your job offer.
If you got Contributions JSA or Contributions ESA before this you can apply, as long as you were on these benefits for at least six months.
If you're not sure which one you get, Social Security Scotland will check this for you. You can also complete the application online - find out more here.
To keep up to date with the latest benefits news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook group here, follow Record Money on Twitter here, or subscribe to our twice weekly newsletter here.
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