ReAct+

Finding good people with the right skills is the key to success.

What it's about

We are all talented people.

ReAct+ offers a package of support to help someone who has been affected by redundancy or who has become unemployed in the last 12 months to get back into work quickly. It’s good news for them – and great news for you.

How it works

When you employ a qualifying recruit, we’ll give you up to £3,000, paid via four instalments for the first 12 months to help cover their wages. We will also pay up to £1,000 for any job-related skills training needed to bring them up to speed.

An additional £1,000 is available if you recruit a disabled person or a young person aged 18-24. If you recruit a young disabled person an additional £2,000 is available.

It makes employing someone who’s under notice of redundancy or has become unemployed a very attractive proposition.

Who is eligible

The person you wish to recruit must be aged 18 or over and either:

  • Be under formal Notice of Redundancy or

  • Be within 12 months of the date of redundancy or

  • Be within 12 months of becoming unemployed for reasons other than redundancy or

  • Aged 18-24 years old and not in education, employment or training

In all cases, they must also be resident in Wales at the date of unemployment and at the date you make your application for funding.

The Welsh Government is committed to promoting fair work.  Employers are encouraged to provide employment opportunities aligned to the principles of fair work.

The job you’re offering must:

  • be for 16 hours a week or more;
  • be paid at National Minimum Wage or above.  We encourage recruiting employers to pay all workers at least the Real Living Wage;
  • be expected to last at least 12 months;
  • not be supported by a 'zero-hours' or 'non-guaranteed hours' contract;
  • not be supported by any other public  funding.

Also, your business must not have reached the UK Subsidy Control threshold which limits the amount of funding the Welsh Government can provide.

The recruit will be disqualified from the programme if they start working for you before your application for funding has been approved or if they have been in continuous employment for 6 weeks or more between the date of redundancy or becoming unemployed and the date of the grant application. Other conditions apply.

What’s in it for you?

  • Improve your productivity and competitiveness through recruiting quality staff.
  • Get funding for job-related training to sharpen the skills of new recruits.
  • Reduce your staffing costs.
  • Boost your working capital.
  • Lower overheads and increase profit.
  • Participate in the Young Person’s Guarantee by helping create opportunities for young people aged 16-24, who have become unemployed, to find fair work.

How to apply

If you have an eligible recruit in mind and would like to apply for ReAct+ support click  ReAct+ Application.  You must apply for support before employing your new recruit.

If you’re looking to recruit and struggling to find a candidate(s) then the Job Bulletin is a free service from Careers Wales/Working Wales that can help you promote your vacancy to a wide range of potential employees.

If you would like to find out more about the recruitment and training support available please contact us or register your interest by completing the Expression of Interest form.