New Deal For Young People

If you are aged between eighteen years old and twenty-four years old and you are currently receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance, you may be able to, or be required to, take part in the New Deal for Young People. In some cases your benefits will be reduced or stopped altogether if you refuse to take part in the scheme.

The aim of New Deal for Young People, or NDYP, is to support young people in their search for employment and ensure they have access to the advice and opportunities they require. If you qualify, NDYP will assist you with learning new skills, finding appropriate training programmes and gaining valuable work experience. You will be given a personal advisor at your local Jobcentre Plus, who is available to assist you in your job search and answer any questions you have. NDYP is divided into three stages.

Initially you will take part in the ‘gateway’ programme. This stage usually lasts around sixteen weeks and is the stage with the most personal advisor contact. You will have weekly meetings with your advisor to determine the best course of action for your job search, and have an opportunity to discuss your preferences, skills, limitations and aspirations. The gateway stage is intended to help you develop a clear plan for finding suitable employment. You will be given assistance with compiling a CV, and you can discuss potential jobs with your personal advisor. If you have incurred travel costs that are difficult for you to cover, perhaps coming to meetings or attending job interviews, you might be given extra money to help you pay these expenses.

The second phase of NDYP is the ‘options’ programme; this stage usually lasts around thirteen weeks. If you were unsuccessful finding suitable employment during the ‘gateway’ stage, the ‘options’ stage will focus on the skills you need to acquire in order to ensure more success in the job market. You may be advised on interview techniques, possible training schemes to build new skills, and work experience you could do to improve your CV and increase your chances of finding paid work. Your personal advisor is there to help you, and will be able to assist you in choosing the training and work experience best suited to your skills and ambitions. You will be offered careers advice based on your individual situation, and where possible, work experience will be chosen which suits your interests.

If your job search has been unsuccessful after participating in both the gateway and options programmes, you will be moved onto the ‘follow-through’ stage. This stage can last up to twenty-six weeks, and offers you extra help and guidance. You will continue to be supported in your job search, and your individual case will be reviewed to ensure that you have considered all the potential pathways to help you gain employment. At any stage on the NDYP you can request a mentor in addition to your personal advisor. Your mentor can discuss your worries and ideas and ensure that you are supported in making the decisions that will most benefit you.

The intention of the New Deal for Young People is to assist the young and unemployed in finding suitable paid work. You must make the necessary effort to help yourself and put in the work required to ensure your ongoing search for jobs is a success. If you do not make the effort you should, fail to do what your advisor asks of you or fail to attend your meetings and interviews, your benefits may be reduced or stopped altogether. You will not be entitled to Jobseeker’s Allowance if you demonstrate that you are not actively seeking employment.

Your advisor will help you to ensure that you will have more money when you are working than if you were to continue to rely on benefits. When you are working your benefits will not all stop automatically: you may be entitled to continue receiving some, whilst others may no longer be needed. Your advisor will be able to answer any questions you have relating to your benefits.

If you are interested in the New Deal scheme for Young People and have not yet been given any information about it, contact your local Jobcentre Plus or contact Jobcentre Plus direct on 0800 055 6688. You can also call Jobcentre Plus to enquire about current jobs on 0845 606 0234.