Biffa Youth Guarantee Jobs: 2,000 Roles for Young People

Biffa Youth Guarantee jobs are coming: the waste and recycling company said on 12 November 2026 that it will recruit up to 2,000 young people across the UK. The roles are aimed at young people who are currently out of work. The fastest route is your Jobcentre Plus work coach, and Biffa's own vacancies are listed on its official careers page.

What has Biffa announced?

The news came in a government press release from the Department for Work and Pensions. Biffa has signed up to the Youth Guarantee, the government's £2.5 billion plan to give young people a chance to earn or learn.

Which roles are open?

The release names these areas:

• Driver's Mate positions on collection vehicles
• Recycling operations
• Green energy and sustainability
• Specialist teams
• Roles in Biffa's wider businesses, including Company Shop Group

Biffa's Chief People Officer, Allison Green, said the company is teaming up with Jobcentre Plus and organisations in each area, and that the offer is open to school leavers and graduates who are struggling to find a way into work.

Who can apply?

The roles are for young people shut out of work. The release also explains the government's "guaranteed job" strand:

• You are aged 18 to 24.
• You have been on Universal Credit and job hunting for 18 months.
• You then get a six-month job, fully funded by the government, covering as many as 25 hours weekly at the minimum wage for your age.
• You receive employability support while you work.

If you do not meet that test, you can still apply to Biffa in the normal way through its vacancies.

How to apply — step by step

Neither Biffa nor the government has published a single application form for the 2,000 roles yet. These are the routes confirmed by the sources:

1. Speak to your work coach. If you claim Universal Credit, ask at your next appointment about "Biffa Youth Guarantee placements". Biffa says it is recruiting with Jobcentre Plus. You can find contact details on GOV.UK's Jobcentre Plus page.
2. Check Biffa's official careers page: biffa.co.uk/careers. It links to the company's live vacancy list, where you can search by job and location and apply online.
3. Look at early careers. Biffa's early careers page lists graduate schemes (procurement, operations, commercial) and apprenticeships (HGV technician, laboratory technician, customer service and sales, engineering, degree apprenticeships).
4. Prepare your details. Have a short CV, your National Insurance number, proof of your right to work in the UK and the name of someone who can give a reference.
5. After you apply, expect contact by email or phone, or through your work coach. Starters are matched with a mentor from day one, according to the release.

All of this is free. No agency or middleman is needed, and nobody can sell you a place on the Youth Guarantee. If someone asks for money to "secure" a Biffa job, walk away.

Tips that raise your chances

• Say you are reliable. Waste collection starts early. Mention good attendance at school, college, volunteering or sport.
• Be honest about outdoor, physical work. Driver's Mate jobs mean being on your feet in all weather.
• Mention any licence or ticket. A driving licence, forklift training or a health and safety certificate helps, though the release does not make them a requirement.
• Show interest in recycling. One sentence on why cutting waste matters to you is enough.
• Keep your Universal Credit journal up to date so your work coach can refer you quickly.

Quick checklist: CV, National Insurance number, right-to-work document, phone number, email address, and the date of your next Jobcentre appointment.

What it means for job seekers

• A large employer with sites in most regions is opening its doors to people with no experience.
• The mentor system is useful if this would be your first job.
• A permanent post is the aim, not a promise. If Biffa has no vacancy at the end, its "Biffa Next Gen" scheme can share your details, with your permission, with suppliers and partners.
• Start dates and locations have not been listed yet, so check the careers page weekly.

More routes for school leavers: Holcim's 2027 apprenticeships close on 20 November and Babcock degree apprenticeships are open until 8 December.

More openings: all UK jobs