Thousands of young disabled people and those living with long-term health conditions will be offered guaranteed, fully subsidised jobs as the UK Government tries to reduce the persistently wide disability employment gap. Starting in April 2027, the initiative extends the existing Jobs Guarantee - originally tailored for 18-to-24-year-olds claiming Universal Credit for at least 18 months - to young people receiving health-related benefits.
Under the scheme, participants will be offered a voluntary, guaranteed placement from week 13 following their Work Capability Assessment.
To incentivise businesses, the government will fund 100% of wages for up to 25 hours per week for six months, while providing financial assistance to offset employer onboarding and workplace adjustment costs. Participants will receive wraparound mentoring and tailored support addressing mental health, personal budgeting, and housing stability.
The policy response follows Alan Milburn’s interim review findings, which show that 45% of young people classified as NEET (not in employment, education, or training) having a disability - up from 21.1% a decade ago in 2013/14.
The wider scheme aims to support up to 90,000 young people into employment by the end of the current Parliament.
The intervention is integrated into a broader £3.5 billion welfare reform package designed to address chronic economic inactivity.
This includes the statutory ‘right to try’ guarantee, which protects claimants from immediately losing their sickness benefits if a work placement proves unsustainable.
