Glossary
The system
DWP — Department for Work and Pensions. The government department that runs Jobcentres and pays benefits like Universal Credit. Many Youth Hubs are set up with them.
JCP — Jobcentre Plus. The full name for the Jobcentre. Where you go to claim Universal Credit and see a work coach.
UC — Universal Credit. The main benefit for people who are out of work or on a low income. You claim it online and manage it through an online account.
Work coach — The person at the Jobcentre who helps you with your job search if you claim Universal Credit. Some Youth Hubs have one on site.
Claimant commitment — The list of things you agree to do while you claim Universal Credit, like looking for work a set number of hours a week. Your work coach sets it with you.
JSA — Jobseeker's Allowance. An older benefit for people looking for work. Most people now claim Universal Credit instead.
ESA — Employment and Support Allowance. A benefit for people whose health or disability makes working hard.
PIP — Personal Independence Payment. Money to help with the extra costs of a long-term health condition or disability. You can get it whether or not you work.
WCA — Work Capability Assessment. A check the DWP does to decide how your health affects the work you can do.
DEA — Disability Employment Adviser. A Jobcentre adviser who helps people with a disability or health condition find work.
HMRC — His Majesty's Revenue and Customs. The tax office. They deal with your tax and National Insurance once you're working.
NI / NINo — National Insurance / National Insurance number. A number everyone gets around age 16 that tracks your tax and benefits. You'll need it to start a job. If you've lost it, you can find it online through HMRC.
NEET — Not in Education, Employment or Training. The term the government uses for young people who aren't studying, working or on a course. If that's you right now, Youth Hubs are built for exactly that.
EET — In Education, Employment or Training. The opposite of NEET.
NCS — Careful with this one. It's used for two different things: the National Careers Service (free careers advice by phone or webchat for anyone in England) and the National Citizen Service (a programme of activities for 16 and 17 year olds). This site always writes them out in full.
Jobs and applications
CV — Curriculum vitae. A short document listing your education, any work or volunteering, and your skills. Most jobs ask for one. A Youth Hub will help you write it.
Cover letter — A short letter you send with a CV saying why you want the job and why you'd be good at it.
JD — Job description. The list of what a job involves and what the employer wants. Always read it before you apply.
Person spec — Person specification. The part of a job advert listing the skills and experience they want. Match your CV to it.
ATS — Applicant tracking system. Software that reads your CV before a human does and filters out the ones it thinks don't match. One reason applications go unanswered, and something a Youth Hub can help you get past.
HR — Human resources. The team at a company that handles hiring and staff matters.
Ref / referee — A reference is what a previous employer, teacher or youth worker says about you. A referee is the person who gives it. Employers often ask for two.
DBS check — Disclosure and Barring Service check. A background check for jobs working with children or vulnerable people. The employer arranges it.
Right to work — Proof you're allowed to work in the UK, usually a passport or a share code. Every employer has to check it.
P45 — The form you get when you leave a job. Give it to your next employer so your tax is right.
P60 — The form you get once a year showing what you earned and what tax you paid.
PAYE — Pay As You Earn. How tax comes out of your wages automatically before you get paid.
Payslip — The record of what you were paid, and what was taken off for tax and National Insurance.
NMW / NLW — National Minimum Wage / National Living Wage. The lowest amount an employer can legally pay you per hour. It depends on your age, and it goes up most years.
FT / PT — Full-time / part-time.
Pro rata — When a part-time job's pay is shown as the full-time amount, then scaled down for the hours you actually work.
pa / per annum — Per year. "£22,000 pa" means £22,000 a year before tax.
OTE — On-target earnings. In sales jobs, the amount you could earn if you hit your targets, including commission. The basic pay is often much lower.
DOE — Depending on experience. Used in adverts when the pay isn't fixed.
ZHC — Zero-hours contract. A job with no guaranteed hours. You work when they need you.
Temp / perm — Temporary / permanent.
WFH — Working from home.
Hybrid — Some days at the workplace, some at home.
Probation — A trial period at the start of a job, usually three to six months.
T&Cs — Terms and conditions. The rules of your job, in your contract.
SME — Small or medium-sized enterprise. A small business. Where most young people get their first job.
STEM — Science, technology, engineering and maths. A group of subjects and jobs.
Training and qualifications
FE — Further education. College courses after school, up to level 3.
HE — Higher education. University and equivalent courses, level 4 and above.
GCSE — The exams most people take at 16 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Grades run from 9 (highest) to 1. A grade 4 is a pass.
A level — Advanced level. Two-year courses usually taken at 16 to 18, often for getting into university.
BTEC — A practical qualification in a work-related subject, at different levels, taken instead of or alongside A levels.
T Level — A two-year course for 16 to 19 year olds in England, mixing classroom learning with a long work placement. Equal to three A levels.
NVQ — National Vocational Qualification. A work-based qualification that shows you can do a job to a set standard.
HNC / HND — Higher National Certificate / Diploma. College qualifications at level 4 and 5, one and two years, often in technical subjects.
Level 1, 2, 3... — How the UK ranks qualifications. Level 2 is GCSE grade 4 or above. Level 3 is A level or equivalent. Level 6 is a degree.
Apprenticeship — A real job where you're paid to work and train at the same time, and you come out with a qualification. Levels run from 2 (intermediate) to 7 (master's).
EPA — End-point assessment. The final test at the end of an apprenticeship.
Traineeship — A short course with work experience for young people who aren't yet ready for an apprenticeship or a job. Fewer of these run now than a few years ago.
SWAP — Sector-based Work Academy Programme. A short course through the Jobcentre, up to six weeks, combining training, work experience and a guaranteed interview.
WEX — Work experience. Time spent in a workplace to see what a job is like. Sometimes paid, often unpaid.
Functional Skills — English and maths qualifications for people who didn't get a GCSE grade 4. Many apprenticeships need them.
ESOL — English for Speakers of Other Languages. Free English courses if English isn't your first language.
UCAS — The organisation you apply to university through.
Student finance — The loan that pays your university fees and helps with living costs. You pay it back through your wages once you earn over a set amount.
IAG — Information, advice and guidance. What careers advisers call what they do. If a service offers IAG, it means someone will talk your options through with you.
Ofsted — The body that inspects schools, colleges and training providers in England and rates them.
Money and housing
Cost of living — How much everyday things cost: rent, food, bills, travel.
Budget — A plan for what money comes in and goes out each month.
Credit score — A number lenders use to decide whether to lend to you. Missed payments lower it.
Council tax — A bill from your local council for the home you live in. Full-time students and some others don't pay it.
LHA — Local Housing Allowance. The amount of housing help Universal Credit can pay towards rent in your area.
Deposit — Money you pay up front when renting a home, returned when you leave if there's no damage.
Guarantor — Someone, often a parent, who promises to pay your rent if you can't. Landlords often ask for one from younger tenants.