SIXTY young people in Argyll and Bute have received financial support to help meet the costs of starting a new job, according to the latest figures.
A total of £18,495 has been paid to eligible applicants in the area through the Job Start Payment since the scheme was introduced by the Scottish Government.
Delivered by Social Security Scotland, the payment is intended to help young people who have been unemployed meet some of the initial costs associated with entering work, including travel, clothing, tools, childcare and meals.
The payment, worth more than £330, does not have to be repaid.
To qualify, applicants must meet eligibility criteria including having been out of paid work and receiving certain benefits for at least six months before receiving a job offer.
Different eligibility rules apply to care leavers, who can apply between the ages of 16 and 25 and must be out of paid work and receiving a qualifying benefit on the day they receive a job offer.
Argyll and Bute MSP Jenni Minto has encouraged young people starting work this summer to check whether they qualify for the support.
She said: “We need to do all we can to get young people out of unemployment and moving our economy forward – that’s exactly what this support does.
“Sixty young people in Argyll and Bute have benefitted from the payment, which can help with the cost of work clothes, travel, tools, childcare or lunches. It all adds up and it’s absolutely right we do what we can to boost our workforce.”
Ms Minto said the costs associated with starting employment could present a financial barrier for some young people.
She added: “Opportunity should not be restricted to those with the ability to pay.
“I would encourage young people in Argyll and Bute who are starting a new job this summer to check if they are eligible to receive the Job Start Payment.”
The Job Start Payment is available to eligible young people aged 16 to 24, with extended eligibility for care leavers up to the age of 25.
