AN SNP MP has said it is "a kick in the teeth" to expect young people to work for minimum wage.
Alison Thewliss, who represents Glasgow Central, hit out after Chancellor Rishi Sunak's mini budget where he launched a “kickstart scheme” to help young people secure jobs.
For each "kickstarter" job, the Government will cover the cost of 25 hours' work a week at the National Minimum Wage – £4.55 for under 18s, £6.45 for 18 to 20-year-olds, and £8.20 for 21 to 24-year-olds.
Sunak told the Commons: “The kickstart scheme will directly pay employers to create new jobs for any 16 to 24-year-old at risk of long-term unemployment. These will be new jobs – with the funding conditional on the firm proving these jobs are additional. These will be decent jobs – with a minimum of 25 hours per week paid at least the national minimum wage.”
Sunak said employers will need to provide training and support to find a permanent job, adding: “If employers meet those conditions, we will pay young people’s wages for six months, plus an amount to cover overheads.”
Thewliss responded: "Our young people are worth so much more than a minimum wage, rather than a real living wage, with age discrimination baked in.
"For a lot of young people, it won't be a kickstart but a kick in the teeth to be told to go to work for so little money."
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Sunak said the hope is for the first people to be in their jobs by autumn, with an initial £2 billion made available and no cap on the number of places available.
Sunak said employers will be paid £1000 to take on trainees and employers will be paid to create new apprenticeships for the next six months.
The Chancellor told MPs: “We’ll pay businesses to hire young apprentices, with a new payment of £2000 – and we’ll introduce a brand new bonus for businesses to hire apprentices aged 25 and over, with a payment of £1500.”
Sunak said an extra £1 billion would be given to the Department for Work and Pensions to support people back into work.
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