Employers

Youth Jobs Grant

£3,000 for every eligible 18–24-year-old you recruit

The Youth Jobs Grant provides employers with £3,000 for each eligible young person aged 18 to 24 who is claiming Universal Credit and has been unemployed for at least six months.

The grant is designed to help employers recruit young people who are actively seeking employment, while reducing the cost of taking someone on and giving them an opportunity to build their skills and experience.

• £3,000 per eligible hire, paid in two instalments: £1,800 after 6 weeks and £1,200 after 18 weeks, subject to the scheme conditions.
• The job must be for at least 25 hours a week
• The employment must be expected to last at least four months
• The young person must be aged 18–24 and claiming Universal Credit and unemployed for at least six months

Apprenticeships can also be eligible, provided the vacancy meets the Youth Jobs Grant criteria.

Support with recruitment

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) offers a range of support to employers recruiting new staff, including opportunities to connect with people looking for work, work experience and other employment initiatives.

Through its Strategic Relationship and recruitment teams, DWP can also provide tailored support with recruitment and help employers connect with suitable candidates through Jobcentre Plus.

Surrey Care Association is working with local Jobcentre teams to help employers understand the support available and identify opportunities that could help them widen their recruitment pipeline.

Creating opportunities for people new to work

For someone starting out in the world of work, the first step into employment can be the hardest. Opportunities to gain experience, build confidence and understand what a job involves can make a real difference.

Employers can help by considering ways to give people an opportunity to experience the workplace before, or alongside, recruitment. Work experience, work trials and other supported routes can help people understand whether a role is right for them, while giving employers the opportunity to see the skills and potential of people who might otherwise be overlooked.

We are exploring how these approaches could help create more routes into adult social care across Surrey.

Making recruitment accessible

Small changes to the way vacancies and recruitment processes are designed can make opportunities more accessible to a wider range of candidates.

Clear job information, proportionate recruitment criteria and straightforward application processes can help remove unnecessary barriers and widen the pool of people who can apply.

Preparing for T Level Social Care

A new T Level in Social Care is planned for September 2028. The qualification will give young people a technical route into adult social care, combining classroom learning with substantial experience in the workplace.

Industry placements are a central part of T Levels. For employers, they provide an opportunity to help develop the next generation of the workforce, give young people meaningful experience of adult social care and build relationships with local colleges and other education providers.

Surrey Care Association is keen to encourage care providers to consider how they could support T Level students through industry placements as this new qualification develops.

Supporting the next generation

Employers also have an important role to play in helping people understand what a career in adult social care can offer.

Sharing professional insight, taking part in careers activities and helping young people encounter the sector can bring adult social care to life in ways that information alone cannot.

Surrey Care Association is developing opportunities for employers to contribute to careers engagement with schools and colleges, alongside other routes into the sector.

Get involved

Whether you’re looking for support with recruitment, interested in opportunities for people new to work, or would like to contribute to careers engagement, we’d be pleased to hear from you.

Talk to us about how your organisation could get involved.