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Hospitality employers target 100,000 youth jobs

By CVTailorly Research Desk · Published 18 October 2026

This article was researched with AI assistance. Figures are checked against the sources linked below.

Some of the UK's biggest hospitality employers, including Whitbread, McDonald's and Nando's, have committed to 100,000 paid jobs for young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), under a partnership between the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the trade body UKHospitality announced on 15 October 2026. The opportunities are aimed at 18 to 24-year-olds and sit alongside work experience and training. For young people looking for a first job, it shows where some entry-level hiring effort is being focused, although the detail of how to apply has not yet been published.

Key figures

The target. The DWP press release on GOV.UK (15 October 2026) says the employers "will commit to 100,000 paid jobs over three years". UKHospitality's announcement (15 October 2026) describes the same target as 100,000 paid jobs "by the end of the Parliament", and as "100,000 first starts in hospitality through jobs, training opportunities and work experience". The two announcements therefore frame the timescale slightly differently.

The employers. Both announcements list the same 16 businesses: Whitbread, McDonald's, Nando's, Marriott, Compass, Burger King, Parkdean Resorts, Haven, Fuller's, Merlin Entertainments, Stonegate Group, Mitchells and Butler, Wagamama, Sodexo, WSH Limited and De Vere. UKHospitality says: "This is a live partnership and is open to more businesses joining."

Training. UKHospitality lists expanded access to the Hospitality Skills Passport as one of three parts of the announcement. OCN London, which accredits it (page checked 18 October 2026), says it is "designed primarily for individuals who are unemployed or seeking a career change, including those referred by Jobcentre Plus or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)". Topics include customer service, food safety and allergen awareness, handling complaints, and health, safety and hygiene, and those who complete it receive a digital passport verified by UKHospitality and OCN London.

The scale of the challenge. The latest ONS NEET bulletin (Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK: August 2026, published 27 August 2026) estimates that 894,000 people aged 18 to 24 were NEET in April to June 2026, or 15.2% of that age group. Across all 16 to 24-year-olds the figure was 981,000 (13.0%), up 30,000 on a year earlier but down 30,000 on January to March 2026. The ONS's next NEET release is due on 26 November 2026. The GOV.UK release adds that nearly six in 10 young people who are NEET have never had a job.

The wider package. According to the GOV.UK release, the hospitality pledge follows an announcement last month of 100,000 jobs in the retail sector. The government says it is putting an additional £2.5 billion into the Youth Guarantee and Growth and Skills Levy to support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn. The release also mentions £3,000 hiring incentives for employers.

What they said. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: "Hospitality has long provided young people with a route into the world of work." Allen Simpson, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: "Hospitality is the number one employer of young people in the economy, providing valuable and rewarding routes into work." David McDowall, CEO of Stonegate Group, described his own start in the industry: "That’s exactly what happened to me, starting as a part-time member of bar staff when I was 18."

What it means for jobseekers

Know what has and has not been confirmed. Neither announcement sets out a separate application route, a breakdown of jobs by employer, or pay rates, and the target runs over several years rather than all at once. For now, the practical route into these employers is the usual one: their own careers pages and job adverts, and vacancies your local Jobcentre Plus can point you to.

Ask your work coach about training. If you claim Universal Credit, it is worth asking your Jobcentre Plus work coach whether hospitality training, such as the Hospitality Skills Passport, is available near you. OCN London says the passport is aimed mainly at people who are unemployed or changing career, including those referred by Jobcentre Plus or DWP, and that it is open to people with no previous experience or qualifications in hospitality.

Check the legal minimum before you accept. The legal minimum hourly rate depends on your age and whether you are an apprentice. GOV.UK's minimum wage rates page (checked 18 October 2026) lists the current rates. Check your contracted hours, shift patterns and whether breaks are paid, so you can compare offers fairly.

Make a short work history count. With nearly six in 10 young people who are NEET never having had a job, according to the GOV.UK release, evidence from school, college, volunteering, sport or caring responsibilities matters. Show reliability, teamwork and how you deal with people, and mention any food hygiene or customer service training. Our school leaver CV example shows how to turn GCSEs, school responsibilities and part-time work into honest evidence, and there are examples for common hospitality roles, including waiter or waitress, kitchen porter, bartender and hotel receptionist.

From CVTailorly (our own tool, optional): tailor your CV to a job ad using the advert’s wording, or run a CV check before you send an application. Plans and prices are on our pricing page.

Sources

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