Ealing Council wins funding to help 562 young people into work

Ealing Council's bid for grant funding to launch a new jobs programme aimed at helping 562 young residents into employment has been successful.

The Jobs Guarantee Programme, a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) initiative, will provide six-month paid work opportunities for individuals aged 18 to 24 who have been claiming Universal Credit for at least 18 months.

The council, as part of the West London Alliance (WLA), successfully bid for grant funding, which will support the programme from November 2026 to March 2028. The WLA acts as the prime provider for the Jobs Guarantee Programme in West London, responsible for liaising with the DWP and entering into Memoranda of Understanding with delivery partners (boroughs). The WLA retains 10% of the allocated grant funding for delivery coordination and employer payments, while 90% is provided to participating boroughs.

The funding will cover eligible wage costs, National Insurance contributions, pension contributions, and approved onboarding costs for employers. This approach aims to maximise external funding and increase employment opportunities for young residents at no direct wage cost to participating employers.

Councillor Kamaljit Kaur Nagpal, Cabinet Member for Decent Living Incomes, presented the report to the Cabinet, highlighting the programme's alignment with the council's commitment to reducing youth unemployment and supporting those not in education, employment, or training (NEET). The report can be found in the Public reports pack Wednesday 04-Nov-2026 17.00 Cabinet.

The programme aims to benefit both young people by providing valuable work experience and skills development, and local businesses by helping them meet workforce needs. The council's primary role is to enable a large majority of these paid placements to be hosted within Ealing businesses, with close regard to the borough's growth sectors as outlined in the Jobs and Skills Strategy. The council itself may also host some placements, aligning with its Workforce Strategy.

While the DWP funding covers wages at the National Minimum Wage, the council, as a London Living Wage employer, will encourage participating employers to top up wages to the London Living Wage where possible. The Jobs Guarantee Scheme is a DWP initiative that pays National Minimum Wage, and while the council encourages employers to pay the London Living Wage, it is not a mandatory requirement for participation. If a young person continues to work for the council after the six months, they will be paid the London Living Wage.

Participants in the programme will receive wraparound support and training to help them into more sustained employment after the six-month placement.

Delegated authority has been granted to the Assistant Director for Regeneration, Economy & Skills to implement the programme and determine the number of paid placements the council can accommodate. The funding will be incorporated into the council's revenue budget.