Investing in young people is an investment in the future of your business. Bringing fresh talent into your workforce can help you build a motivated team, develop new skills within your organisation and strengthen your business for the years ahead.

To support employers in creating meaningful opportunities for young people, the government has launched the Youth Jobs Grant. The scheme is designed to help thousands of young people take their first steps into employment while reducing long-term unemployment and providing businesses with financial support to recruit new staff.

If your business is looking to grow, you could receive £3,000 for every eligible young person you hire.

What is the Youth Jobs Grant?

The Youth Jobs Grant provides employers with £3,000 for every eligible employee aged 18 to 24 they recruit across Great Britain.

To qualify, the young person must have been claiming universal credit and actively looking for work for six months or more before starting their role.

The scheme will offer up to 60,000 grants between now and October 2028, giving businesses an opportunity to recruit new talent while reducing hiring costs.

How your business can benefit

The Youth Jobs Grant offers a range of benefits for employers, including:

• £3,000 per eligible hire, paid in two instalments:
• £1,800 in the second month of employment.
• £1,200 in the fifth month, subject to the grant conditions being met.
• access to a pipeline of young people who are actively seeking employment
• reduced recruitment and employment costs, helping your business invest in growth
• the opportunity to build a loyal, enthusiastic and motivated workforce while supporting the next generation of employees

Is your business eligible?

Employers in England, Scotland and Wales may be eligible for the grant.

To qualify, your business must:

• offer a role of at least 25 hours per week
• provide employment that is expected to last a minimum of four months
• be ready to recruit someone aged 18 to 24 who has been claiming universal credit and looking for work for six months or more

Find out more

If you're planning to recruit and would like to learn more about how the Youth Jobs Grant could help your business, download the Youth Jobs Grant Toolkit.

It contains everything you need to know about eligibility, the application process and how to access funding to recruit a young person.