Young disabled people and young adults with long-term health conditions are set to receive additional employment support through an expansion of the UK government Jobs Guarantee. Announced by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on 27 September 2026, the change is intended to help more young people access paid work, workplace experience and tailored support.

Under the announced expansion, eligible young people receiving health benefits will be offered access to a guaranteed job on a voluntary basis from week 13 after their Work Capability Assessment. The expansion is scheduled to start in April 2027. The government says the programme will include mentoring, tailored support with mental health, finances and housing, and help for employers with onboarding costs.

This is an important distinction for anyone researching the scheme: the disability-related expansion has been announced for April 2027, so it should not be confused with the earlier Jobs Guarantee arrangements for long-term unemployed young people already being delivered in selected areas.

Official announcement: Thousands of young disabled people to be offered guaranteed jobs.

1. What is the Jobs Guarantee?

The Jobs Guarantee is part of the wider Youth Guarantee, which aims to help young people move into employment, education or training. The programme provides fully funded paid job opportunities for eligible young people who have faced prolonged unemployment.

The original programme focused on young people aged 18 to 24 who had been claiming Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. Eligible participants are offered a six-month paid job, with the government funding qualifying employment costs for up to 25 hours of work each week under the relevant scheme rules.

The government announced that the programme would be widened to include eligible young disabled people and people with long-term health conditions receiving health benefits. This expansion is designed to provide an earlier route into employment for those who feel able to work when the right support is available.

The DWP announcement says the Jobs Guarantee forms part of a wider £2.5 billion investment in Youth Guarantee schemes and is intended to help up to 90,000 young people into work by the end of the Parliament.

Read the official programme overview: Jobs Guarantee guidance on GOV.UK.

2. Who may be eligible under the disability expansion?

The announced expansion is intended for young disabled people and young people with long-term health conditions who receive health benefits and believe they could enter employment with appropriate support.

The government announcement identifies the following broad characteristics of the group expected to benefit:

• Young people with a disability.
• Young people with a long-term health condition.
• People receiving relevant health benefits.
• People who feel able to enter paid employment with suitable help and adjustments.
• People who may benefit from a voluntary, earlier route into a supported job opportunity.

The announcement states that eligible young people on health benefits will be offered a guaranteed job voluntarily from week 13 after their Work Capability Assessment. The detailed operational guidance will determine how individual eligibility is checked and how offers are made.

3. What does week 13 after a Work Capability Assessment mean?

A Work Capability Assessment is used within the benefits system to consider how a health condition or disability affects a person ability to work or prepare for work. The assessment forms part of the process for determining the relevant work-related benefit arrangements.

For the announced Jobs Guarantee expansion, week 13 after the assessment is the point from which eligible young people receiving health benefits will be offered access to the guaranteed job on a voluntary basis.

This does not mean every person will automatically begin a job in week 13. The announcement describes when the offer pathway is expected to start, while the individual offer, suitable job matching, support needs and operational eligibility checks will determine what happens next.

Young people should continue to follow the instructions provided by the DWP and their Work Coach. They should not assume that an assessment date alone guarantees a particular job, payment or benefit outcome.

4. What support may be included?

The announced expansion combines paid work with additional support intended to help participants prepare for employment and manage barriers that could make it difficult to stay in a job.

The exact package will depend on the operational arrangements and the needs of the participant. The announcement does not set out a complete list of available adjustments, training activities or individual services.

5. How much will the government pay towards the job?

According to the September 2026 announcement, the government will cover 100% of wage costs for up to 25 hours per week over six months under the expanded Jobs Guarantee offer.

This is a wage subsidy for the eligible job arrangement, rather than a cash grant paid directly to the young person. The employer and delivery arrangements are expected to follow the programme rules, including the applicable pay requirements.

The precise wage calculation, payment arrangements, eligible employment costs and employer responsibilities must be checked against the operational guidance applicable to the expanded scheme. The public announcement does not provide enough information to calculate an individual employer payment in every situation.

6. When will the expanded Jobs Guarantee start?

The DWP announced on 27 September 2026 that the expansion for young people receiving health benefits would start from April 2027.

The original Jobs Guarantee has been introduced in phases. Its first phase covers six areas across Great Britain and supports eligible 18 to 21-year-olds who have been claiming Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. A wider national rollout is planned for later in 2026.

The disability-related expansion is a further change. It should not be confused with the earlier eligibility conditions or treated as though the new health-benefit pathway is already open to everyone in October 2026.

For changes to the programme, check the official Jobs Guarantee guidance page.

7. How can young disabled people find out whether they may qualify?

The announced expansion is not a general public grant application in which a young person submits a form to receive money. It is an employment programme delivered through government employment support arrangements and participating organisations.

Young people who believe they may be eligible can take the following practical steps:

1. Speak to a Work Coach. Ask how the Jobs Guarantee expansion may apply to your circumstances and when the relevant pathway will become available.
2. Check your current benefit position. Confirm which benefits you receive and whether the DWP considers you eligible for the announced route.
3. Keep assessment information available. Your Work Capability Assessment details may be relevant to the timing of the proposed offer.
4. Explain the support you need. Discuss adjustments, working hours, travel, communication needs and any health-related barriers that affect suitable employment.
5. Ask about local delivery arrangements. The DWP and its delivery partners can explain how suitable job opportunities will be matched and what the next steps are.
6. Check benefit implications before starting work. Ask for current advice about how earnings and employment could affect your benefits and what protections may apply.

General information about support for young Universal Credit claimants is available at Help to find work for Universal Credit claimants aged 16 to 24.

8. Will taking a job automatically stop disability benefits?

Not every benefit is affected in the same way when someone starts work. The outcome depends on the benefit received, earnings, personal circumstances and the rules that apply at the time.

The government announcement refers to a separate Right to Try guarantee intended to let people receiving sickness benefits try work without the immediate fear of losing their benefits. The announcement does not set out every operational detail or confirm the outcome for every individual benefit claim.

Before accepting a job, a participant should obtain up-to-date advice from the DWP or a qualified benefits adviser. It is important to check how wages, hours and changes in circumstances may affect Universal Credit, health-related benefit entitlements and any other support received.

The Jobs Guarantee should not be interpreted as a blanket promise that every benefit will remain unchanged after employment begins. Individual circumstances and the applicable benefit rules matter.

9. What employers should know about the expansion

Employers may be able to participate by providing suitable paid job opportunities and working with the programme delivery arrangements. The government says employers will receive help with onboarding costs and that the programme will provide mentoring and tailored support for participants.

Businesses interested in offering opportunities should prepare to discuss:

• Job roles and duties that are suitable for participants.
• Working hours and workplace requirements.
• Reasonable adjustments and accessibility needs.
• Training, induction and mentoring arrangements.
• How the job can support a transition into sustained employment.
• Funding conditions and the process for claiming eligible employment costs.

Employers should not assume that the disability expansion has the same detailed application process as the Youth Jobs Grant, which is a separate £3,000 employer payment for qualifying recruitment. The Jobs Guarantee is a funded job-placement programme with different eligibility and delivery arrangements.

Employers can review the official Jobs Guarantee information for delivery organisations and the government employment service information at Build Your Future Workforce.

10. Frequently asked questions

Conclusion

The UK government has announced an expansion of the Jobs Guarantee to help eligible young disabled people and young people with long-term health conditions move into paid employment. From April 2027, the planned pathway will offer eligible young people receiving health benefits access to a voluntary guaranteed job from week 13 after their Work Capability Assessment.

The announced package includes a six-month paid job, government funding for wage costs up to 25 hours per week, mentoring, tailored support and assistance with employer onboarding costs. However, the full eligibility checklist and operational details should be checked through official guidance as the launch approaches.

Young people who think they may qualify should speak with their Work Coach, check how employment may affect their benefits and ask about workplace adjustments before accepting a role. Employers should review the programme guidance and prepare accessible jobs that can lead to sustained employment.