King's Trust Grants 2026: What Young People Can Get

Grantsights builds its grant tools for US funding only, so every link on this page goes to The King's Trust or another UK source rather than to a Grantsights product. If you'd want UK coverage from us in future, let us know you're in the UK.

King's Trust Grants in 2026 at a Glance

The King's Trust offers 4 kinds of money, and 3 of them are grants. All of them go to a person, not an organisation. Here's how they compare, from the Trust's own pages as read on October 31, 2026.

Start Up Grant and Start Up Loan together can't exceed £30,000. GOV.UK's listing for the King's Trust Enterprise programme (opens in a new tab), last updated June 20, 2025, gives the same £30,000 ceiling and says no funding is guaranteed.

What you won't find: a grant for a charity, school, club or community project; a grant for university fees; a grant for rent or bills; or a cash grant you can apply for online without speaking to the Trust first. People searching for the old "Prince's Trust grant" often expect one of these, and that gap between expectation and reality is the main reason applications go nowhere.

What 4,488 King's Trust Grants Show: Grantsights Analysis of the Accounts

The King's Trust paid £2.16 million in grants to individual young people in 2025/26, about 3% of its £68.0 million total spending. Grantsights analysis of the grants note in the 2025/26 and 2024/25 annual reports gives 3 years of figures.

Source: The King's Trust Annual Report and Accounts 2025/26 and 2024/25, "Grants payable" note (2023/24 figures are the prior-year column of the 2024/25 report). Averages are Grantsights calculations: value divided by number of grants.

Three findings matter if you're thinking of applying.

Most Enterprise grants are now test grants. The 2025/26 report splits the 1,381 Enterprise grants into 943 test grants (68%) and 438 start-up grants (32%). A year earlier the split was 779 test grants and 665 start-up grants. The report says the average grant fell because the Trust "introduced a lower tier of grant" to judge a business idea before launch. In plain terms, the £500 test grant is now the usual first step, and fewer people reach the start-up grant.

Start-up grants are scarce compared with demand. The Trust says it supported 2,796 young people through Enterprise in 2025/26 and made 438 start-up grants. Not every participant wants a grant, and one person can get two, but on those numbers roughly 1 start-up grant was made for every 6 Enterprise participants. The Trust also arranged 84 Start Up Loans worth £509,000 on behalf of the Start Up Loans Company, an average of about £6,060 each, up from 67 loans worth £450,000 in 2024/25.

Development Awards are small and getting smaller. The Trust's website says the average award is £200. Its accounts imply less: about £173 in 2025/26, down from £199 two years earlier. The report says 2,432 young people were supported through Development Awards in 2025/26, against 3,107 awards, so some people received more than one.

A rough cross-check, which is a Grantsights estimate rather than a published figure: if the 438 start-up grants averaged the Grant Hub's £2,681, they'd account for about £1.17 million of the £1.62 million Enterprise total, leaving roughly £450,000 for 943 test grants, or under £500 each. That fits the £500 cap.

Where the Trust works. According to the 2025/26 report, it supported 68,370 young people in the year: 56% in England, 19% in Northern Ireland, 13% in Scotland and 12% in Wales. Education programmes for 11 to 19 year olds made up 72% of that number, employability programmes 23% and Enterprise 4%. Most young people the Trust reaches never touch a grant.

Limits of this data. The accounts give totals only. The King's Trust doesn't publish individual grant records, and the 360Giving Datastore held no grants made by the charity (Charity Commission number 1079675) when Grantsights checked on October 31, 2026. So there's no breakdown by nation, sector or age, and no published success rate for any grant.

Development Awards: £10 to £500 to Start a Course or Job

Development Awards pay up to £500 towards a specific next step, and the Trust says the average is £200. According to The King's Trust's Development Awards page (opens in a new tab), you must:

• be aged 16 to 30 and live in a part of the UK where awards are available
• if you're 16 or 17, have left compulsory education
• if you're 18 to 30, work fewer than 16 hours a week or study fewer than 14 hours a week
• already have an interview, a job offer, a college place or a volunteering placement
• face a money barrier to taking it up

What it can pay for. The Trust lists tools, equipment or uniform for a job or course (for example, safety clothing and a toolkit for a construction course), clothes for an interview, accredited course fees up to level 3 (A level equivalent), job licences and checks such as an enhanced DBS check, a CSCS card or an SIA licence, travel to a new job until your first month's pay, registered childcare while you train, and technology such as Wi-Fi for an online course.

What it can't pay for. Rent, bills and other living costs; business start-up costs; anything you've already paid for; gap years or overseas trips; and courses at level 4 or above, which rules out university fees. The FAQ confirms it won't refund a course you've paid for in advance.

How to apply. The how-to-apply page (opens in a new tab) sets out 7 steps:

1. Check you're eligible and that your costs are covered.
2. Gather written proof of the opportunity (an interview invitation or offer letter) and exact details of each cost: brand, size, price and where to buy it, or course name, college, dates and fee.
3. Contact the Trust by live chat or free phone on 0800 842 842, 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. On live chat, the Trust asks you to choose "Finding a job – grant support".
4. A Youth Development Lead phones you within 5 working days. They try three times; if they can't reach you, the application is closed.
5. You meet online or in person for 30 to 45 minutes to complete the forms. Bring ID. If you're under 18, a parent may need to sign.
6. The decision usually comes within a week of that meeting.
7. If approved, the Trust buys the item or pays the college or supplier directly.

Timing. The main page says processing takes 6 to 8 weeks and asks you to apply at least 8 weeks before payment is due. The FAQ says up to six weeks. Plan on 8. A common mistake is applying a week before a course starts: by the time the Youth Development Lead calls, the deadline has passed, and the Trust can't pay you back afterwards.

Not everywhere. The Trust says awards are available only in certain UK locations and it confirms whether your area qualifies after you contact it. It doesn't publish a list.

The Enterprise Programme: “Test My Business Idea” and Start Up Grants

The King's Trust says it has helped more than 91,000 young people start a business, and grants are only one part of the Enterprise offer. Here's who can join, from the Trust's Enterprise programme page (opens in a new tab):

• you're aged 18 to 30
• you have the right to work in the UK and the business will operate in the UK
• you own, or plan to own, at least 50% of the business
• if you've already started, you've been actively trading for less than 1 year (the Trust counts you as trading once you're registered with HMRC or Companies House and treating it as more than a hobby)

You also need time. The Trust says workshops and monthly one-to-one meetings usually run between 9am and 5pm on weekdays, and the average participant spends about one day a month in workshops. You get up to 12 months to plan and launch, then up to 3 years of "Business Advance" support with a volunteer mentor.

“Test My Business Idea” grant (up to £500). According to the Grant Hub page for the “Test My Business Idea” grant (opens in a new tab), you can apply up to five times, as long as the total stays within £500. It's for building knowledge: test selling, market research, working out delivery and costs, or gaining skills. You'll need quotes, a budget and a test plan with goals. To qualify you must be on the Enterprise programme, have the right to live and work in the UK and have a personal bank account in your own name. Once approved, you have 30 days to sign the grant agreement, payment follows within 3 working days, and you then have 3 months to run the test and 3 more to upload receipts and a review. You can't use it for start-up costs, payments made before you applied or paying off debts. The review step isn't optional: you can't apply for more test money or for Start Up funding until it's done. A case in point from the Trust's own page: the Grant Hub quotes William Hunt, owner of Creative Hibernation Interiors, saying the grant let him try out his marketing ideas and learn what would work before committing to a budget.

Start Up funding (grant up to £5,000, plus an optional loan). The Grant Hub's Start Up funding page (opens in a new tab) says you can apply for up to £30,000 in total: a Start Up Grant of £100 to £5,000 (average £2,681) plus a Start Up Loan of £500 to £25,000. You're ready when you've done your market research, attended the relevant workshops and finished a business plan and cash-flow forecast with your King's Trust contact. Before any offer, the Trust looks at your monthly income and spending, runs an affordability check that stress-tests your cash flow and personal survival budget, and may recommend a grant, a loan or a mix. If you launched with the Trust's support less than 3 years ago, you can apply again, up to £5,000 in grants and £25,000 in loans in total.

The loan is a real loan. The Start Up Loan isn't the Trust's money: it's a personal loan from the Start Up Loans Company, which the Trust introduces you to. According to GOV.UK, Start Up Loans (opens in a new tab) are unsecured personal loans of £500 to £25,000 at a fixed 7.5% a year, repaid over 1 to 5 years, with a credit check. You owe it personally even if the business closes.

What The King's Trust Doesn't Tell You

The Trust's pages are clear about each grant's rules. Grantsights checked them against the 2025/26 accounts, and four things stand out that the pages don't spell out.

You can't apply for a business grant directly. The FAQ says you need to take part fully in the Enterprise programme, and your King's Trust contact decides with you when to apply. Anyone offering to "get you a King's Trust grant" for a fee is a red flag; the programme and its support are free.

The first business grant is usually the small one. With 943 test grants against 438 start-up grants in 2025/26, and a lower tier introduced deliberately, expect to prove your idea with up to £500 before anyone discusses £5,000. People who join expecting £5,000 on day one tend to underestimate the planning stage, which can run up to 12 months.

The average Development Award is lower than the website says. The page says £200; the accounts work out at about £173. Ask for what the item actually costs, with a link or quote, rather than aiming for £500.

Availability depends on your postcode. Development Awards are "only in certain UK locations", and the Enterprise programme isn't running everywhere. Neither page lists the areas. The only way to find out is to contact the Trust, so do that before you build plans around the money.

There's no money for organisations. Of £2,169,000 in grants payable in 2025/26, £2,160,000 went to individual young people. If you're a youth club, school or charity, The King's Trust might be a delivery partner or a source of referrals, but it isn't a grant-maker for you. See our guides to grants for small charities and community grants in the UK instead.

Common Reasons King's Trust Grant Applications Fail

Most refusals come down to 6 rules on the Trust's own pages, not the quality of the idea.

• Already paid. Neither Development Awards nor Enterprise grants refund money you've spent. Wait for the decision.
• Wrong age or hours. If you're 18 or over and working 16 hours or more a week, or studying 14 hours or more, you're outside the Development Awards rules.
• No confirmed opportunity. A Development Award needs proof of the interview, job, course or placement. "I'm looking for work" isn't enough.
• Level 4 or above. University fees and higher-level courses are excluded. Student finance is the route there; our childcare grant guide covers one of the extras students can claim.
• Missed calls. The Youth Development Lead tries three times, then closes the case. Answer unknown numbers for the week after you apply.
• Trading too long. If your business has been actively trading for more than a year, the Enterprise programme won't take you.

Who shouldn't apply: anyone over 30, groups and organisations, people who need help with rent or debts (the Trust points to other organisations for living costs), and established businesses. People in money trouble right now will find faster routes in our hardship grants UK guide.

Other Routes If the King's Trust Can't Help

If you're outside the age range or the Trust isn't running in your area, these routes are real, and all of them are free to ask about.

• Starting a business, any age over 18: a Start Up Loan through GOV.UK (opens in a new tab) (£500 to £25,000 at 7.5%), plus local council and growth hub grants. Our start-up grants UK guide lists what exists in each nation.
• Living costs or an emergency: benevolent funds and council welfare schemes, covered in our hardship grants UK guide.
• A group or project for young people: small grants from National Lottery and community funders, in our National Lottery Awards for All guide.
• Checking the charity itself: The King's Trust's accounts and trustees are on the Charity Commission register entry for charity 1079675 (opens in a new tab) and the OSCR register entry for SC041198 (opens in a new tab).

Sources Checked

All sources were read or downloaded on October 31, 2026:

• The King's Trust, Development Awards: free funding to train or start work (opens in a new tab) and Development Awards: how to apply (opens in a new tab) (read in a browser)
• The King's Trust, Support for starting a business (Enterprise programme) (opens in a new tab), Funding for your business (opens in a new tab) and young people's FAQs (opens in a new tab) (read in a browser)
• The King's Trust Grant Hub, “Test My Business Idea” grant (opens in a new tab) and Start Up funding (opens in a new tab)
• The King's Trust, our annual reports (opens in a new tab): Annual Report and Accounts 2025/26 and 2024/25 (PDF)
• GOV.UK, Enterprise programme for young people (opens in a new tab) (last updated June 20, 2025) and Apply for a Start Up Loan (opens in a new tab)
• Charity Commission for England and Wales, register entry for The King's Trust, 1079675 (opens in a new tab); OSCR, register entry SC041198 (opens in a new tab)
• 360Giving Datastore API, grants made by organisation GB-CHC-1079675 (0 records on October 31, 2026)