Youth Guarantee: Incentives for employers

The Youth Guarantee is a Government initiative designed to help young people through apprenticeships, training, and employment.

Get more information on the Youth Guarantee and how your business can benefit from taking on a young person by attending one of our live webinars:

What support can your business get for hiring a young person?

£1,000 employer payment for any size of business

Available when the apprentice is 16- to 18-years-old, or 19- to 24-years-old with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or has been in care.

Employer National Insurance savings

Businesses do not pay employer National Insurance contributions for apprentices under 25-years-old who earn below £50,270 a year

£2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for smaller businesses

Non-levy employers (salary bill of less than £3m) can receive £2,000 for hiring a new apprentice aged 16 to 24, available from October 2026.

100% funding

To cover the costs of training for SMEs for apprentices aged 16 to 24

£3,000 Youth Jobs Grant

Available for each 18- to 24-year-old that you hire who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for six months or more.

Up to £6,000 for SMEs

who hire a 16- to-18-year-old

Up to £5,000 for SMEs

who hire someone aged 19 or above

Up to £4,000 for levy-paying employers

who hire a young person as part of the Youth Guarantee

PLUS fully-funded apprenticeship trainng

Get more information on the Youth Guarantee and how your business can benefit from taking on a young person by attending one of our live webinars: