What has been pledged

Some of Britain's biggest hospitality employers have committed to 100,000 paid jobs for young people who are not in education, employment or training, under a partnership led by UKHospitality with the Government. The announcement was made on 15 October 2026 and targets 18 to 24-year-olds, a group often described as NEET — not in education, employment or training.

Employers named in the partnership include Whitbread, McDonald's, Nando's, Marriott, Compass and Merlin Entertainments, with more businesses able to join.

Jobs, experience and training

The pledge covers paid employment alongside work experience and training opportunities. According to the Government's answer to a parliamentary question on 26 October 2026, participating employers will also support its work experience programme by offering two to four weeks of hands-on experience, dedicated workplace support and interview experience. Opportunities may come through employers' existing hiring routes, referrals from Jobcentres, the Youth Guarantee Jobs Grant and the Jobs Guarantee.

Access to the Hospitality Skills Passport is also being expanded through approved colleges and training providers, funded through the Adult Skills Fund.

How to approach it

Jobseekers should treat this as a programme to watch, not one application form. There is no single closing date in the announcement: UKHospitality describes the target as 100,000 paid jobs by the end of the Parliament. Roles will appear at different times, in different places, according to each employer's locations and staffing needs, so checking individual employers and local Jobcentres is essential.

The pledge follows a similar 100,000-job commitment in retail announced in September, and sits within wider youth employment support. Young people who are unsure which route fits them should ask a Jobcentre or college adviser about work experience, the Skills Passport and current vacancies with the named employers, and should never pay anyone to secure a place.