Airdrie MSP Neil Gray has urged young people in North Lanarkshire who are starting a new job this summer to check if they are eligible for financial support through the Job Start Payment. The call comes after figures revealed that 440 individuals in the area have already benefited from the scheme since its introduction by the SNP Scottish Government.
Financial Support for New Employees
The latest statistics show that young people in North Lanarkshire have collectively received £140,812 in Job Start Payments. This support is designed to help with the practical costs of starting a new job, including expenses for clothes, travel, tools, or childcare. The payment, which is delivered by Social Security Scotland, amounts to over £330 and does not need to be repaid.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the Job Start Payment, individuals must have been out of work and receiving certain benefits for at least six months. Care leavers can apply between the ages of 16 and 25, provided they are out of work and receiving a qualifying benefit on the day of the job offer.
Gray's Statement on Economic Impact
Mr Gray, whose constituency includes Airdrie and Shotts, emphasized the importance of the payment in removing financial barriers for young people. He stated: "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. The cost of essentials has soared under the UK Labour Government and starting a new job can be particularly expensive – that’s why the Job Start Payment, introduced by the SNP, is so important in removing those financial barriers and giving our young people a hand up into work."
Broader Context of SNP Policies
Gray highlighted that 440 young people in North Lanarkshire have already benefited from the payment, which can cover work clothes, travel, tools, childcare, or lunches. He added: "The SNP will always be on the side of Scotland’s young people – opportunity should not be restricted to those with the ability to pay and that’s why Scotland remains the only part of the UK where students don’t need to pay to study at university and bus travel is free for under-22s."
Gray concluded: "I would encourage young people in Airdrie and Shotts who are starting a new job this summer to check if they are eligible to receive the Job Start Payment."
