Essential Employment Skills Fund
Who can apply: Applications are expected to involve an established partnership between an evaluator or research organisation as lead applicant and a delivery organisation. Programmes must support UK-based young people aged 16–24 facing significant barriers to work, explicitly develop at least one essential employment skill, have a clear theory of change, include robust impact and process evaluations, and reflect young people’s views. Schools, further education colleges, local charities and local authorities may participate as delivery organisations, with an evaluation organisation as lead applicant.
Deadline: Outline application deadline: 11:59pm, 10 December 2026. Shortlisting decisions are expected in February 2027, full applications in March 2027, and funding decisions in July 2027.