Youth Guarantee: Biffa opens up to 2,000 jobs for young people

On 12 November 2026 Biffa, a waste and recycling company, announced it would recruit up to 2,000 new staff across the UK — in waste management, recycling and green energy. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) reported it on 13 November. Biffa has signed up to the government's Youth Guarantee.

What is the Youth Guarantee?

It is a government scheme to get young people into work or training. It aims to deliver almost one million opportunities, backed by £2.5 billion over three years. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: "On my watch, no young person's talent will be left on the scrapheap."

Who gets a guaranteed job?

An 18 to 24-year-old who has claimed Universal Credit and looked for work for 18 months is guaranteed a fully funded six-month job. The government funds 100% of employment costs for up to 25 hours a week at the relevant minimum wage.

What does the employer get?

A business that hires a young person who has been out of work for six months receives £3,000. There is a Large Employer Pathway for firms with 250 or more staff that expect to offer 10 or more jobs and recruit in more than one part of the country. Biffa, which employs around 13,000 people at about 300 locations, is using that route.

Which other companies take part?

Besides Biffa, the scheme includes Amazon, McDonald's, Severn Trent, John Lewis, the Premier League, Lidl and Mitchells & Butlers — so roles open up in retail, catering, utilities and logistics across the country.

Which sectors will the jobs be in?

Biffa is recruiting for waste collection, recycling and green energy. Other employers in the scheme work in retail, catering, utilities, logistics and sport, so the roles are spread across the country and across industries. The fully funded six-month job is meant as a first step: it gives a young person work experience and a reference that make a permanent job easier to find afterwards. The state pays at the minimum wage, which depends on age, so check the exact rate on the government's minimum wage page.

How to start?

If you are 18 to 24 and claim Universal Credit, tell your work coach you want to take part in the Youth Guarantee. Check the relevant pay on the government's minimum wage page and your benefit rules on the Universal Credit page. The payments and guarantees run through the state, not the company itself.