Guidance

Youth Jobs Grant: Employer frequently asked questions

Updated 7 August 2026

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

This document is a quick reference guide. We will update it when we receive new questions from employers that would be helpful to publish.

Where there are discrepancies between this and the Grant Terms and Conditions, the Terms and Conditions shall apply.

We will update this table when new questions are added.

Question	Section	Date added
What is a D-U-N-S (Data Universal Numbering System)?	1. Eligibility and Applying	24 July 2026
Why do I need to provide a D-U-N-S Number?	1. Eligibility and Applying	24 July 2026
I have already started an application. Can I still submit it?	2. Application Process	24 July 2026

1. Eligibility and Applying

Who can apply for the grant?

Employers of any size, including sole traders intending to hire, can apply for the grant. They must:

• be operating in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales)
• have been trading for at least 6 months before registering a vacancy
• be registered with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), with a Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) and Pay As You Earn (PAYE) scheme
• not be part of a central government department. This includes government departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies. Jobs with Local Authorities and other non-central public sector organisations are eligible

What checks will be carried out?

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will check the employer meets scheme requirements including HMRC registration, tax information and employer declarations, including areas such as insurance, compliance history, trading continuity, employment obligations and health and safety.

DWP will also check job vacancies for eligibility and suitability before they are registered to the scheme.

What is a D-U-N-S (Data Universal Numbering System)?

A D-U-N-S (Data Universal Numbering System) is a unique identifier used to help confirm the identity of a business. It can be used as part of checks to verify that an organisation is legitimate.

Why do I need to provide a D-U-N-S Number?

DWP carries out due diligence checks to confirm that employers meet the scheme requirements before participating. Providing a D-U-N-S Number helps confirm your organisation’s identity as part of these checks and is also needed to enable DWP to pay the grant, where all other scheme conditions are met.

Which young people are eligible for the scheme?

Young people can only be recruited via Universal Credit; you cannot recruit your own people and then claim the grant. To be eligible a young person must:

• be aged 18 to 24
• be claiming Universal Credit and unemployed for at least 6 months
• not currently be eligible for the Jobs Guarantee

Can apprenticeship funding and the Youth Jobs Grant be used for the same employee?

Yes, the Youth Jobs Grant (YJG) may be layered with additional payments for eligible apprenticeships (including the hiring payment for non-levy employers, additional payments for young apprentices, and additional payments for foundation apprenticeships). An employer can enrol a vacancy on to the Youth Jobs Grant and receive the grant payment for job roles filled as apprenticeships.

Can the Youth Jobs Grant be used for an employee who has previously taken part in a Work Experience placement or a Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP)?

Claimants who have previously undertaken Work Experience (WEX) or Sector-based Work Academy (SWAP) will still be considered for YJG opportunities. But participation in WEX or a SWAP does not qualify as a YJG job, as these placements do not meet the requirement for paid employment.

Where WEX or SWAP opportunities are delivered as unpaid or short-term work-focused activity, claimants may move on to a YJG opportunity where this is appropriate and they meet the relevant criteria, including earnings requirements.

2. Application Process

I have already started an application. Can I still submit it?

If you have already started an application, you can continue and submit it through the Manage Applications section of your Find a Grant account.

What happens if my application is unsuccessful?

Employers will be told whether their application has been successful once the due diligence checks have been completed. If an application is not successful, the notification will explain the next steps.

If your circumstances change, or you can provide additional information, you may be able to submit a new application through the current Youth Jobs Grant application route. Any new application will be assessed against the scheme requirements in place at the time it is submitted.

Can I apply again if my application is unsuccessful?

If your application is not successful and your circumstances change, or you can provide additional information, you can submit a new application using the same application process. Any new application will be assessed against the scheme requirements in place at the time it is submitted.

3. Vacancy and Job Requirements

What makes a vacancy suitable for the grant?

Jobs that can be registered for the scheme must:

• be genuine, paid work of at least 25 hours per week, lasting at least 4 months
• pay at least the applicable National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage
• be lawful, safe, suitable and comparable to roles offered outside the scheme
• not displace existing employees, workers, apprentices or contractors

Can a job be more than 25 hours per week?

Yes. A job can be more than 25 hours per week. However, the grant amount remains £3,000 regardless of the number of hours worked. Any additional costs are met by the employer.

Can a job pay more than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage?

Yes. A job can pay more than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage. However, the grant amount remains £3,000 regardless of the rate of pay. Any additional costs are met by the employer.

4. Grant Payments

How will the grant be paid?

The £3,000 grant is paid in two instalments once DWP has verified employment and earnings through HMRC. The first payment is £1,800 (after 6 weeks) and the second payment is £1,200 (after 18 weeks), where grant conditions are met.

See the scheme terms and conditions for full payment conditions. Payments will be issued via direct BACS transfer.

How are earnings checked?

Earnings from the young person’s employment will be verified through HMRC Real Time Information (RTI).

We will not accept any other evidence of earnings.

What can the grant be spent on?

The grant should be used on costs arising from or associated with hiring and employing an eligible young person. These may include wage costs, national insurance contributions, pension contributions, recruitment and administration costs associated with hiring the young person, training and management costs.

What happens if the young person leaves employment early?

You will receive grant payments where the payment conditions have been met. If a young person leaves the scheme after the first payment has been paid and you do not meet the conditions for receiving the second payment, we will not recover the first payment unless you have breached the grant terms and conditions.

5. Employer Responsibilities and Scheme Assurance

What support will the young person need?

Most participants will be work ready and actively looking for work, though some may need additional support to start and stay in employment. A supportive employer, on-the-job training and access to workplace support will give young people the best chance to thrive.

How will DWP prevent misuse of the scheme?

We take fraud very seriously and wherever we believe that an employer has acted in a way that is contrary to the scheme’s aims or is misusing public money, we will take steps to address this, including recovery of payments we believe may have been obtained through fraud or employers acting in bad faith.

Why are there due diligence checks, grant conditions and other controls in place?

It is important that DWP is protecting public money in line with Managing Public Money and our controls are in place to ensure young people are only placed in legitimate jobs with legitimate employers.

If we think that any employer breaches the terms and conditions, we reserve the right to withdraw employers or vacancies from the scheme and recover payments where we believe they may have been obtained fraudulently or in error.