- Eligible young people on health benefits to be offered voluntary paid job from 13 weeks after Work Capability Assessment
- Government to cover wage costs for up to 25 hours a week for six months
- Expanded route due to begin April 2027
Stephen Morgan MP has welcomed an expansion of the Government’s Jobs Guarantee that will give thousands of young people with disabilities and long-term health conditions an earlier route into paid work.
From April 2027, eligible young people on health benefits will be offered a guaranteed job on a voluntary basis 13 weeks after their Work Capability Assessment. The Government will cover 100% of wage costs for up to 25 hours a week for six months, while employers will receive help with onboarding costs.
Young people will also be offered mentoring and tailored support with mental health, finances and housing.
Responding to the announcement, Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth South, said:
“A disability or health condition should never mean a young person is written off before they have had a fair chance to work.
“Here in Portsmouth, I want young people who are ready to take that step to have a real paid opportunity, with the right support around them. This voluntary offer will open that door much earlier.”
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said:
“I’ve seen how the Jobs Guarantee is already changing lives and now we are putting long-term sick and disabled people at the front of the queue from April next year.
“For many young people, this will be the first chance they’ve had of a real paid job, and the dignity and self-respect that comes with that.”
The expansion forms part of the Government’s wider £2.5 billion investment to support almost a million young people towards work. The Jobs Guarantee is intended to help up to 90,000 young people into work by the end of Parliament.
