The Job Start Payment can be paid to young people and care leavers to help with the costs of starting a new job.

Who can get it?

You are eligible to apply for the Job Start Payment if you are a young person aged between 16 to 24 years old and, you meet the following criteria:

• you have had a job offer (in the last 3 months)
• you have been out of paid work for at least 6 months on the day you got the job offer 
• you are in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits and have been getting this for at least six months
• you were living in Scotland on the day you got the job offer

What are the qualifying benefits?

Unless you are a care leaver you must be in receipt of one of the following benefits and have been getting the benefit for at least six months before the job offer:

• universal credit
• income-based jobseeker’s allowance
• income-related employment and support allowance
• income support

What about care leavers?

You are a care leaver if you have spent time in care but stopped being looked after on, or after, your 16th birthday. This may have been in either a foster, residential, secure or formal kinship care placement.

Care leavers aged between 16 to 25 years old are eligible for this payment if the following condition apply:

• have had a job offer within the last 3 months
• have been out of paid work for at least 6 months on the day you got the job offer 
• were living in Scotland on the day you got the job offer

How much is it?

If eligible you will get a one-off payment of £267.65. The payment is higher (£428.25) if you are the main carer of a child/children.

Can I only get this payment once?

It is a one-off payment. However, if you have received the Job Start Payment you can apply again providing two years have since your last Job Start Payment was received, and you meet the qualifying conditions. 

How can I apply?

To apply you can either :

• phone Social Security Scotland - 0800 182 2222
• claim online at mygov.scot
• download a paper application from mygov.scot

If you do not agree with a decision about Job Start Payment you can ask Social Security Scotland to review its decision.

This is an internal review carried out by a different team with Social Security Scotland.

You should ask for the review by calling 0800 182 2222 and should do so within 31 days of the decision.

Contact us

If you wish to discuss the eligibility criteria or you need help with applying for a Job Start Payment or asking for a review of your decision you can email the Tackling Poverty Team at TPteam@northlan.gov.uk or call 01698 332551.