45% of young people not in work or study report a disability. It was 21% a decade ago
What happened
On 27 September 2026 the Department for Work and Pensions announced that thousands of young disabled people, and young people with long-term health conditions, will be offered a fast-tracked job through the government's Jobs Guarantee. The Jobs Guarantee already exists. Until now it has been aimed at people aged 18 to 24 who have been on Universal Credit and out of work for 18 months or more. The change extends it to a different group, and much earlier. Under the new arrangement, young people on health-related benefits will be able to access the scheme from week 13 after their Work Capability Assessment - rather than waiting out a long period of unemployment first. The offer itself is substantial. The government will cover 100% of wage costs for up to 25 hours a week, for six months. Alongside the job, participants get mentoring and tailored support with things that commonly get in the way of staying in work: mental health, money and housing. The department published one figure that explains why it is doing this. Among young people not in education, employment or training, the proportion reporting a disability has roughly doubled in a decade - from 21.1% in 2013/14 to 45% now. The scheme is due to launch in April 2027. It sits within £2.5 billion of investment over three years across Youth Guarantee schemes, part of £3.5 billion of employment reforms overall, and the government's stated target is to get up to 90,000 young people into work by the end of this Parliament.
Why this matters
The figure that should stop people is the one about who is out of work and not studying. When nearly half of young people who are not in education, employment or training report a disability or long-term health condition, the shape of the problem has changed. Two decades ago the conversation about this group was largely about qualifications and motivation. It is now substantially a conversation about health. That matters because the interventions are different. Careers advice does not help someone whose anxiety makes an interview impossible. A CV workshop does not solve unpredictable fatigue. The second thing that matters is timing. Long-term unemployment early in life leaves a mark that shows up decades later in earnings and in health. The longer someone is out of work, the harder getting back in becomes - confidence drains, the CV gap grows, and employers become warier. Which is what makes the 'from week 13' part of this announcement more significant than the money. Waiting 18 months before offering help means waiting until the damage is done. Thirteen weeks is a different proposition entirely. The employer side is also worth understanding. Paying 100% of wages for up to 25 hours a week for six months removes the financial risk from the employer. Whether that is enough to shift hiring behaviour - and whether those jobs become permanent - is the question the scheme will eventually be judged on.
What the evidence actually says
There is good reason to take this seriously, and good reason to hold judgement. On the positive side, the design reflects things that have been learned from previous schemes. Wrapping employment support around mental health, money and housing support, rather than treating a job as a standalone problem, is supported by evidence. So is intervening early. The announcement also carries endorsements from organisations that would be quick to criticise a bad scheme. Dr Sarah Hughes, chief executive of Mind, said that 'if delivered supportively, this offer could be life changing for young people'. Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Mencap, said earlier access to paid work and tailored support could prevent long-term unemployment. Emma Taylor, chief people officer at Tesco, said creating more routes into employment for those facing barriers is vital. But read Dr Hughes's quote carefully. 'If delivered supportively' is doing a lot of work in that sentence, and it is not an accident. Harriet Edwards, a director at the disability charity Sense, made the sharper point: success should be measured not just by how many people start a job, but by whether they have the support to build the future they choose. Six months of fully subsidised work is not the same as a career. The practical unknowns are large. The scheme starts in April 2027, so there is no delivery to assess. The 90,000 figure is a target, not a forecast. And history with employment programmes of this kind is mixed: the risk is always that they help the people closest to the labour market and miss those furthest from it. One more thing worth saying plainly: this is a voluntary offer of support as described. Concerns about how health-related benefit assessments work are a separate and ongoing debate, and this announcement does not settle it.
Practical advice
If you are a young person with a disability or long-term health condition, or you support one, here is what is worth doing. The scheme does not start until April 2027, so there is nothing to apply for yet. Watch for details through Jobcentre Plus and the GOV.UK Jobs Guarantee pages closer to the time. In the meantime, know what already exists. Access to Work is a government scheme that can pay for practical support and equipment to help disabled people start or stay in work - things like specialist equipment, support workers, or help with travel costs. You can apply before you have a job offer in some circumstances. It is significantly underused, largely because people have not heard of it. Disability Employment Advisers are available through Jobcentre Plus and can be asked for by name. If mental health is the main barrier, NHS Talking Therapies in England can be accessed by self-referral - you do not need to go through your GP. Waiting times vary but referring yourself today is faster than waiting for an appointment to ask. If a health condition is the barrier, ask your GP or specialist nurse what reasonable adjustments they would support in writing. Employers respond differently to a clinician's letter than to a verbal request. And if you are an employer reading this, the point to note is the date: April 2027, 100% of wages for up to 25 hours for six months. If you have ever wanted to widen your hiring but worried about the cost of getting it wrong, that is the scheme to look into.
What to know
The government is extending its Jobs Guarantee to young disabled people and those with long-term health conditions, offering a fast-tracked job from week 13 after a Work Capability Assessment, with 100% of wages covered for up to 25 hours a week for six months, plus mentoring and support with mental health, money and housing. It launches in April 2027, within £2.5 billion over three years across Youth Guarantee schemes, and targets up to 90,000 young people into work by the end of this Parliament. The driver is stark: 45% of young people not in education, employment or training now report a disability, up from 21.1% in 2013/14. Charities have welcomed it with a clear condition attached - that it is delivered supportively, and judged on whether people build a future rather than just start a placement. In the meantime, Access to Work and Disability Employment Advisers already exist and are widely underused. Sources: GOV.UK (Department for Work and Pensions), 'Thousands of young disabled people to be offered guaranteed jobs', 27 September 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thousands-of-young-disabled-people-to-be-offered-guaranteed-jobs; GOV.UK, 'Access to Work', https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work; NHS, 'NHS Talking Therapies', https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/. This article is for general information and does not replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified healthcare professional.
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