£3,000 grant opens door for agencies to recruit young talent

A chance to invest in the future

This uplift in funding provides a timely opportunity for property businesses to strengthen their teams while contributing to wider economic growth. By taking advantage of available funding, agents can play a direct role in developing the next generation of property professionals.

What the scheme offers

Under the programme, employers can access a grant of up to £3,000 when they take on a young person in a new role or apprenticeship. The funding is intended to reduce the upfront costs of recruitment and training, making it easier for businesses to expand their workforce.

Many agencies continue to face challenges around recruitment, retention, and skills gaps. Introducing young people through structured roles or apprenticeships can help build a pipeline of future talent, support succession planning within businesses, and bring in digital skills and fresh perspectives.

Reducing barriers to entry

One of the key barriers to hiring new staff—particularly for smaller agencies—is cost. The availability of grant funding can offset initial salary contributions, training and onboarding expenses, and the necessary investment of time from senior staff.

This may be particularly valuable for independent agents and SMEs who want to grow but need financial certainty before committing to new hires.

Supporting long-term professionalism

Propertymark has consistently called for greater investment in skills, qualifications, and continuous professional development. Creating clearer career pathways to encourage more young people into the sector supports this ambition, and offers an opportunity to raise awareness of property as a profession and embed training from the outset

A more structured entry route into the industry also complements ongoing calls for stronger regulation and minimum qualification standards.

Points for business owners to consider

Employers who take a strategic approach are more likely to see lasting benefits beyond the initial funding. Before applying, agencies should assess their capacity to support and mentor new entrants and consider how roles can be structured to provide meaningful training.

It is also important to think about opportunities to link roles to recognised qualifications or apprenticeships and how these feed into long-term workforce planning needs.

Other programmes supporting people into work 

Other initiatives announced by Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, MP, include:

• Expansion of the Jobs Guarantee Grant to a wider age range, from 18-21 to 18-24, to create more than 35,000 extra subsidised jobs. This brings the total to be supported through the scheme to over 90,000 in the next three years. 

• An Apprenticeship Incentive of £2,000 for each new employee aged 16-24 taken on by an SME. As part of wider reforms, this will drive progress to our target of creating 50,000 more apprenticeships. 

• Further reforms to the Growth and Skills Levy to prioritise young apprentices.

Property apprenticeships

Propertymark was part of the working group that launched the Junior Estate Agency Apprenticeship Standard, which estate agency businesses in England can use. This apprenticeship is a customer-facing role, and the standard is set at Level 2, equivalent of five GCSE passes.

England also has an apprenticeship in Housing and property management (level 3) which prepares an individual for a range of general housing and property management duties leading to operational or specialist roles.

How apprenticeships work, finding apprentices, and the ways you get support and funding vary based on where you are in the UK. Visit our apprenticeships page to find out more.