- Santander will partner with The King’s Trust for five years to help more young people across the UK to build a better future for themselves and their communities.
- King’s Trust research suggests over 250,000 out of work young people are applying for jobs they don’t want because they’re desperate to work, as half say unemployment makes them feel hopeless about their future.1
- Leveraging the strong alignment between Santander’s social strategy and The King’s Trust’s purpose, the partnership will help young people across the country to build the skills they need to improve their career prospects and take control of their future.
Santander has chosen The King’s Trust as its new national charity partner for 2025 - 2030. The five-year partnership will enable Santander to build an impactful relationship with The King’s Trust, equipping young people out of work and education with confidence, skills and opportunities.
The partnership, worth £250,000 per year, will help remove the barriers faced by young people out of work and education with the following initiatives:
- Thousands of skills-based volunteering opportunities for Santander employees, including mentoring students to help develop their entrepreneurial skills, CV reviewing and interview skills support.
- Strategic initiatives that align with the aims and objectives of both Santander and The King’s Trust, including the Annual Greener Homes Programme, which will support young people with the skills required for careers in sustainable construction and retrofitting.
- Training for Santander employees on the challenges faced by young people out of work and education, ensuring they have the knowledge and confidence to refer these customers to the right resources.
- Sponsorship of The King’s Trust’s Palace to Palace fundraising cycle ride from Buckingham Palace to Windsor castle – which aligns with Santander’s longstanding involvement in cycling through the Santander Cycles hire scheme.
Mike Regnier, CEO of Santander UK, said: “I am thrilled delighted to be announcing our partnership with The King’s Trust, which will help us support young people to build the skills they need to improve their career prospects. Developing the skills of the UK’s young people is not only incredibly beneficial on an individual level – it is essential for a functioning economy and a society that can look forward to a future of growth and prosperity. By gaining deep insights through partnering with a charity like The King’s Trust, we can better understand the challenges faced by some of the communities in which we operate and subsequently further work to support inclusive growth.”
Jonathan Townsend, Chief Executive Officer at The King’s Trust, said: “Almost a million young people in the UK are currently out of work, education or training. Without the right support, the consequences for their wellbeing, aspirations and the communities they live in will be felt for decades to come.
“This long-term commitment from Santander is crucial in helping us change that story. Together, we’ll empower young people with the confidence, skills and opportunities they need to begin their careers and take control of their futures.”
- ENDS -
The information contained in our press releases is intended solely for journalists and should not be used by consumers to make financial decisions.
Notes to Editors
- The latest quarterly Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK: May 2025 states there are 923,000 NEET young people aged 16 – 24 years old. 29 per cent of NEET 16-25-year-olds responded ‘yes’ to the statement ‘I have applied for jobs I do not want because I am desperate to work’ in this years Youth Index. 29 per cent of 946,000 is 267.670. Calculations conducted by The King’s Trust. Additional data taken from The King’s Trust TK Maxx Youth Index 2025.
Santander UK is a financial services provider in the UK that offers a wide range of personal and commercial financial products and services. At 31 December 2024, the bank had around 18,000 employees and serves around 14 million active customers, including 7 million digital customers via a nationwide branch network, telephone, mobile and online banking. Santander UK is subject to the full supervision of the FCA and the PRA in the UK. Santander UK plc customers’ eligible deposits are protected by the FSCS in the UK.
Banco Santander (SAN SM, STD US, BNC.LN) is a leading commercial bank, founded in 1857 and headquartered in Spain and one of the largest banks in the world by market capitalization. The group’s activities are consolidated into five global businesses: Retail & Commercial Banking, Digital Consumer Bank, Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB), Wealth Management & Insurance and Payments (PagoNxt and Cards). This operating model allows the bank to better leverage its unique combination of global scale and local leadership. Banco Santander aims to be the best open financial services platform providing services to individuals, SMEs, corporates, financial institutions and governments. The bank’s purpose is to help people and businesses prosper in a simple, personal and fair way.
The King’s Trust (formerly Prince’s Trust) believes that every young person should have the chance to succeed, no matter what their background or the challenges they are facing. We help those from disadvantaged communities and those facing the greatest adversity by supporting them to build the confidence and skills to live, learn and earn. The courses offered by The Trust help young people aged 11-30 to develop essential life skills, get ready for work and access job opportunities. We support them to find work because having a job or running a business can lead to a more stable, fulfilling life.
Since The Trust was founded by HM The King in 1976, when he was HRH The Prince of Wales, we have helped more than a million young people across the UK. Three in four of those we supported over the last five years have moved into work, education or training. We are pleased to have changed our name to The King’s Trust, reflecting our Royal Founding President’s continued dedication to our work. We remain committed to working for young people and enabling them to create a better future for themselves. By helping them today, the benefits will be felt for years to come – not just for those we support, but for their communities and the wider economy.