Jobs Guarantee Wales: First Young People Start Work 2026

Key Points

• The Jobs Guarantee Wales programme has begun recruiting the first group of young people into employment.
• The UK Government programme targets individuals aged 18-24 who have claimed the Universal Credit and have been actively searching for work for 18 months.
• The Government will provide full funding for up to 25 hours of paid work per week for 6 months for those that qualify.
• The first placements have commenced in Cardiff, Newport, Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend, Swansea, Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taf.
• The UK Government expects to provide employment support to 3,500 young people in Wales via the programme within the next three years.
• Over 90,000 paid places for fully funded jobs will be created throughout the UK by 2029 through the Jobs Guarantee scheme.
• The project is part of £2.5 billion investment from the UK Government on youth employment, which the Government claims aims to assist nearly one million young people and generate 500,000 earning or learning opportunities within three years.
• The project will be extended in 2026 to cover all eligible young people in Wales meeting the requirements of the programme on Universal Credit and employment search.
• In addition, 20 Youth Hubs will be developed in Wales, while the Youth Jobs Grant will facilitate employment of young people by businesses.

Wales (Wales Times) August 28, 2026 – The first young people supported through the Jobs Guarantee Wales programme have started work, according to a joint announcement issued by the Wales Office and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Jobs Guarantee Wales has started placing young people into paid work, with the first participants beginning roles in several Welsh local authority areas under a new UK Government programme for those who have been unemployed for a prolonged period.

The programme is designed for people aged between 18 and 24 who have been claiming Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. Under the scheme, the UK Government will fund up to 25 hours of paid work a week for six months, with roles intended to be matched to each participant’s skills.

The first placements have begun in Cardiff, Newport, Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend, Swansea, Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taf. The Government said it intends to support 3,500 young people into employment in Wales during the next three years.

How does Jobs Guarantee Wales work for eligible young people?

Jobs Guarantee Wales offers a direct route into a paid role for eligible 18-to-24-year-olds who have spent 18 months claiming Universal Credit while seeking employment.

According to the UK Government announcement, the placements will last for six months and will be funded for up to 25 hours a week. The Government said the work offered will be aligned with an individual’s skills, rather than being presented as a single type of job or sector-specific placement.

Participants are also expected to receive individual support before and during their job placements. This includes help intended to address obstacles that can make it harder for people to return to work after a lengthy period of unemployment, such as confidence-building support and training while in employment.

The Government said local delivery partners will work with employers to identify roles, match young people with suitable vacancies and provide continuing support intended to help each placement succeed.

The announcement does not identify the individual employers involved in the first Welsh placements or set out the specific job titles taken up by the initial participants. However, it said the wider programme is backed by businesses in construction, retail and hospitality.

Where have the first Jobs Guarantee Wales placements started?

The first participants have started jobs in seven areas of Wales:

• Cardiff
• Newport
• Merthyr Tydfil
• Bridgend
• Swansea
• Caerphilly
• Rhondda Cynon Taf

The Government said one of the first Jobs Guarantee pilots was introduced in South East and South West Wales before the wider expansion planned for later in 2026.

This initial rollout is focused on areas where the first cohort has been matched with placements. The announcement states that the scheme is due to expand later in the year to all eligible young people aged 18 to 24 who are receiving Universal Credit and have been searching for work for 18 months.

What have UK ministers said about the programme?

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said the start of the first placements showed the intended purpose of the scheme: providing paid jobs and a route towards longer-term employment.

In the Government news release, Mr McFadden said: “Young people want to get on in life but for too long too many have been denied that opportunity. The Jobs Guarantee helps change that.

“Seeing the first young people in Wales start their roles brings to life what this scheme is about: real jobs, proper wages, and a genuine route into a career.

“As we roll this out to tens of thousands more young people in Wales and across the country, we’re backing the next generation to succeed and backing British businesses to grow with the talent they need.”

Secretary of State for Wales Stephen Kinnock said the scheme could provide an entry point to employment for young people who have been outside the jobs market.

As reported in the joint Wales Office and Department for Work and Pensions announcement, Mr Kinnock said: “Today’s announcement is a vote of confidence in young people in Wales.

“The Jobs Guarantee will help young people in Wales achieve that all important first step on the career ladder, helping them build confidence and skills with a direct route into work.

“The scheme is just one of the measures the UK Government is taking to boost youth employment in Wales. 20 Youth Hubs are being rolled out across the country to support people into work, with the Youth Jobs Grant offering support to help businesses hire young people.”

How many young people could receive support in Wales?

The UK Government has set a target of supporting 3,500 young people in Wales into work through the Jobs Guarantee over the next three years.

The programme sits within a wider £2.5 billion youth-employment package. The Government said the investment is intended to support nearly one million young people across the UK and provide 500,000 opportunities to earn or learn within three years.

The Jobs Guarantee element is expected to create more than 90,000 fully funded jobs across the UK by 2029, according to the Government. The 3,500 projected Welsh placements form part of that UK-wide figure.

The Government also referred to more than 56,000 young people in Wales who are “not earning or learning”. The announcement presents the Jobs Guarantee as one of several employment measures intended to reach people who have been furthest from work, including those who have been out of employment for an extended period.

What support will participants receive alongside paid work?

The Jobs Guarantee is not limited to the paid placement itself. The Government said participants will receive tailored assistance intended to help them overcome barriers to employment.

This can include:

• Confidence-building support before entering a workplace
• Skills training while on placement
• Job matching based on an individual’s existing skills
• Ongoing assistance from local delivery partners and employers

The Government’s position is that people who have been away from work for longer may need more targeted help when returning to employment. Its announcement said this support is intended to ensure young people begin their placements ready to work and can continue developing during the six-month role.

No information was provided in the announcement on whether an employer will be required to offer a permanent role at the conclusion of a six-month placement. The stated commitment is for a fully funded paid placement of up to 25 hours per week for six months, rather than a guarantee of employment beyond that period.

Background: Why has Jobs Guarantee Wales been introduced?

Jobs Guarantee Wales has been introduced as part of the UK Government’s wider approach to youth unemployment and long-term worklessness among young adults.

The programme was launched during summer 2026 and initially piloted in South East and South West Wales. It targets young people aged 18 to 24 who have claimed Universal Credit while seeking work for 18 months, a group the Government describes as being among those furthest from the labour market.

The scheme is part of a £2.5 billion youth-employment investment, alongside measures including the rollout of 20 Youth Hubs across Wales and the Youth Jobs Grant, which is intended to support employers that hire young people.

The first jobs in Cardiff, Newport, Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend, Swansea, Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taf represent the operational start of the programme in Wales. A broader rollout for all eligible claimants is planned later in 2026.

Prediction: How could Jobs Guarantee Wales affect young people and employers?

For eligible young people in Wales, the main immediate effect is likely to be access to a time-limited paid role combined with work-related support. This may give participants recent employment experience, a routine and training that could be relevant when applying for future jobs.

For employers, the scheme could provide access to young workers whose wages are funded by the Government for the stated placement period. Local delivery partners are expected to assist the matching process, which could help employers identify candidates suited to available roles.

The scale of the longer-term effect will depend on how many eligible young people enter placements, whether roles are available across different parts of Wales and sectors, and what happens when six-month funded placements end. The UK Government has committed to expand the scheme later in 2026 and has set a three-year target of 3,500 young people supported into work in Wales.