UK Youth Jobs Grant provides £3,000 to employers hiring young workers

The UK government’s Youth Jobs Grant provides eligible employers with up to £3,000 per qualifying hire of a 18‑24‑year‑old who has been claiming Universal Credit and seeking work for at least six months. The funding is paid in two instalments – £1,800 after roughly two months of employment and a further £1,200 after about five months, provided the employee remains in work and scheme conditions are met. The scheme aims to support up to 60,000 young people over the next three years and to offset the extra costs of recruiting, training, mentoring and supervision for inexperienced staff.

Industry groups such as the British Meat Processors Association note that the grant can reduce recruitment and training expenses for meat‑processing firms while helping to build a stronger domestic workforce. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said the grant is intended to give young people a chance to work, earn and learn, and to encourage employers of all sizes to take a chance on them.