Why the UK government is looking at a new employer assistance program

The UK government will introduce a new employment assistance program, called JobBridge, which will allow people in low-paid jobs to apply for a refund of their basic monthly wage.
The program will also provide up to a quarter of an employer’s total payroll tax refund, as well as providing the worker with a job-matching assistance scheme, according to the BBC.
The government has previously made similar changes to other job-guarantee programs, which the BBC notes were used by workers in hospitality and retail, in an attempt to cut unemployment.
“There’s some evidence that employers have been able to get their money back more quickly from JobBridge than the current regime,” said Joanna Smith, a professor of employment law at Oxford University.
“It’s a way to help people get out of poverty.”
JobBridge will provide up-front funding of up to £3,000 for up to four weeks to those who have not been paid for six months or more.
The scheme will allow workers to apply from the same website as their previous employer.
It also will offer support to people with no income and those who are eligible for JobBridge but cannot find a job.
The move comes amid growing concern that the UK economy is still in a recession, and it is not clear how many people will qualify for Jobbridge.
There has also been concern over the extent to which JobBridge will be extended beyond the six-month limit, as some of the unemployed are believed to have no job offers.
JobBridge is set to launch in March 2018.