Youth Guarantee: Jobs Guarantee National Roll-out

Earlier this year, I updated the House on progress to deliver the jobs guarantee. Since then, phase 1 of the jobs guarantee has started in six areas of the country, with the first young people now in work. We announced the delivery partners for phase 1 in April, and they can be seen here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/jobs-guarantee

I am grateful to these organisations for working with us at pace to achieve the first job starts in May. Many more young people will enter work through phase 1 of the jobs guarantee over the coming months.

Today, I am pleased to announce that the application window to identify delivery partners for the national roll-out of the jobs guarantee is now open as we prepare to deliver the jobs guarantee across Great Britain.

The jobs guarantee is a central part of the youth guarantee, supporting young people to earn, learn and move into sustained employment. It responds to a long-standing challenge: too many young people spending the early years of adulthood out of work or education.

In March 2026, the Government announced an additional £1 billion investment in employment and skills support over the spending review, taking total investment in the youth guarantee and growth and skills levy to £2.5 billion over three years.

As we build on this progress and roll out the jobs guarantee nationally, the scheme will be open to all eligible 18 to 24-year-olds who have been claiming universal credit and looking for work for 18 months. It will provide them with a guaranteed, fully subsidised six-month paid job. This will include wraparound employability and in-work support to help participants succeed in their roles. The aim is to support young people in taking that crucial first step into sustained employment. Once rolled out, the jobs guarantee is expected to support up to 90,000 young people into paid employment across Great Britain over the next three years.

The Department for Work and Pensions will award multi-year grants to selected delivery organisations, which will deliver the jobs guarantee in local areas. Successful applicants will bring their experience of the local labour market to source suitable jobs and match young people to roles. They will also use their expertise to provide ongoing support to young people while they are on the scheme.

The grant application window is now open and will run for five weeks, from 9 June to 13 July 2026. Applications are open to organisations with the capability and local expertise to deliver opportunities for young people. I encourage applications from any organisation interested in working with us to deliver the scheme.

This national roll-out marks a significant step in delivering our commitment to every young person that they have the opportunity to succeed.

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