£35k per job: Cost of SNP’s f lagship scheme

NINE out of ten people looking for jobs through the SNP’s flagship back-to-work scheme have failed to find long-lasting employment.

The Government launched the £96million Fair Start Scotland (FSS) initiative to much fanfare in April 2018 with the aim of helping people find long-term and sustainable employment.

But just a tiny fraction of those who have been supported by the scheme have gone on to hold down jobs for at least six months.

It led to claims that the SNP is ‘completely failing’ to make the scheme a success.

Despite this, Nicola Sturgeon announced in her Programme for Government earlier this week that the scheme would be extended to 2023.

Figures within a Scottish Government report on the scheme show that 37,378 people were referred to FSS by the Department for Work and Pensions and other agencies between its launch in April 2018 and the end of June 2020.

FSS then gave support to 24,380 of these individuals – with the others likely to have chosen

‘Not creating employment’

not to take part. However, only 7,050 of those supported, or 29 per cent, have successfully gone on to start work – while only 2,753, or 11 per cent, were employed for at least six months. That works out at almost £35,000 to create one job.

Maurice Golden, economy spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives, said: ‘This is typical of the SNP – announcing a flagship project but completely failing to provide the necessary support to make it a success.

‘We are in the midst of an economic crisis right now and the threat to jobs right across Scotland looms large. The fact that the SNP’s back to work schemes are not creating long-lasting employment is of huge concern. ‘

The Programme for Government announced this week states: ‘We will also extend Fair Start Scotland services for a further two years to March 2023, providing support for unemployed disabled people, and people with health conditions and other barriers to moving into fair and sustained work.’