The government has written to thousands of UK businesses in a bid get to them employing more young people.From April, the £1 billion Youth Contract scheme will reward companies that take on young people with a wage subsidy of £2,275 for every 18 to 24-year-old unemployed person hired from the Work Programme.
Smaller enterprises will receive an initial payment 8 weeks after the new employee starts work and the rest of the subsidy after 26 weeks.
Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has written the letter to firms, which he describes as "a call to arms".
"Getting young people earning or learning is my top priority," he said.
"This is a long-term boost to help business get young people into jobs before long-term damage is done."
Firms looking to take on young staff through the scheme will need to ensure that their commercial insurance policy adequately covers them to do so.
