The Youth Council UK is a national platform for youth empowerment and representation, enabling young people to contribute to policy discussions at home and abroad which impact on their lives.
Youth Council UK (YCUK) is the new national platform for youth voice, built by and for young people across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales (and crown dependencies). Its purpose is to amplify youth voice, connect changemakers, empower young people and create real opportunities for young people to shape and lead.
The Youth Council UK will carry forward the heritage, values and mission of the British Youth Council (BYC) with a renewed focus to represent all young people in the UK.
As a youth organisation, joining YCUK means you’re not just supporting youth voice – you’re shaping the future of youth participation and empowerment in the UK.
Who can be a member of Youth Council UK?
- national or local youth organisations
- youth wings of political parties
- any committee, network or body where young people have decision-making or policy-making power
- youth participation bodies aligned with government at any level – for example, a youth council, youth parliament or youth forum
- youth support bodies or corporates – for example, a youth work unit, an organisation with an interest in youth or youth work, or a ‘for youth’ organisation looking to engage young people in their policy development
Why join YCUK?
Engagement and influence
- Access to thematic policy and campaign working groups and policy consultations
- Opportunities to co-lead national youth campaigns and consultations
- Connect your young people to a national network, allowing them to have real influence in policy and decision-making
- Voting rights at the Annual General Meeting
Development and support
- Access support for young leaders, heads of participation, researchers and youth organisations to develop their professional practice
- Preferential rates for leadership, governance and safeguarding training and resources
- Early access to research and policy briefings
Networking and collaboration
- Collaborate with other youth workers, researchers and senior managers to share learning and strengthen youth participation
- Access to resources, members-only briefings, networking events and conferences
Recognition and Visibility
- Use the Youth Council UK Member Mark to signal your involvement in the national infrastructure body for youth participation
- Profile opportunities on YCUK website and campaigns
Membership Fees (Effective from 1st April 2026)
There will be three categories of membership fees, corresponding to the size and type of organisation. An initial joining fee of £50 will apply, with full rates effective from 1st April 2026.
- Small Organisation – £100
For local or community organisations or groups with fewer than 10,000 young participants, members, or reach. This includes parish and district councils, ward-level groups, and local branches of larger organisations. It also covers small youth organisations without formal participation structures and small local support bodies (non-voting).
- Medium Organisation – £500
For medium-sized organisations or groups with between 10,000 and 150,000 young participants, members, or reach. This includes top-tier local authorities, overseas or crown dependency bodies, and regional support organisations. It also applies to medium-sized national organisations without formal youth participation structures (non-voting).
- Large Organisation – £1,500
For large organisations or groups with more than 150,000 young participants, members, or reach. This includes devolved nations and UK-wide participation structures. It also includes England-wide or UK-wide support bodies, corporate partners, and large organisations without formal youth participation structures (non-voting).
Important update:
Previously, BYC’s membership fees ranged from £75 to £1,245. We have amended these fees in line with today’s current climate. No organisation should be paying significantly more than under previous fee structures in fact, most organisations will pay less based on our compare and contrast analysis of previous BYC fees.
Our goal is to address and remove barriers so that every young person and organisation supporting them can take part meaningfully in the Youth Council UK.
No organisation should be excluded due to financial constraints. We recognise that circumstances vary, and we are committed to finding solutions that enable full participation of young people across all settings.
Where needed, special arrangements can be made on a case-by-case basis to keep participation accessible and fair. This may include alternative payment approaches or support to help organisations stay engaged in Youth Council UK activities. To ensure that no organisation experiences financial difficulty in joining or renewing because of the fees, please contact NYA at ycuk@nya.org.uk so that we can arrange support or a transition plan.
We are committed to:
- Championing accessibility
- Finding solutions to financial barriers
- Increasing greater affordability
- Maintaining equity across the sector
Become a member of Youth Council UK today!
If your organisation is passionate about supporting young people to shape national and international decision-making, then become a member today and be a part of this exciting new chapter.
The Executive Committee
Who can be elected to Youth Council UK?
Founder member organisations can nominate young people to a range of roles within the Executive Committee. The nominations process opened in December 2025 and will follow a clearly defined timeline.
All founder member organisations will be notified and guided through each stage of the process. Once the process has concluded, public updates will be announced.
Frequently asked questions
What is Youth Council UK?
Youth Council UK (YCUK) is the new national youth representative body in the UK.
It is an independent, youth-led charity whose purpose is to represent young people’s voices to government and decision-makers.
It is intended to be an organisation by young people, for young people, with a sustainable, inclusive structure.
Why do we need Youth Council UK?
Young people make up a big part of our community but are often left out of decision-making. The Youth Council UK ensures youth perspectives are heard and helps create programmes that truly meet young people’s needs.
Youth Council UK was developed following a sector-wide consultation and the What the Future Holds report, which gathered views from young people and organisations on how a national youth participation body should work. Youth voice was central throughout, with young people helping co-produce and deliver focus groups to shape Youth Council UK.
Will Youth Council UK have real influence, or will it be symbolic?
One of the foundational goals is that YCUK will be able to represent youth views to Government and decision-makers, so influence is built into the mission.
Elected members have an active role in decision-making, attend council meetings, propose initiatives, and provide input on youth-related policies. Their recommendations are formally shared with decision makers and government departments in the UK and internationally.
YCUK will also serve as a springboard to select participants to represent UK youth internationally.
The co-design approach, with young people playing a pivotal role in YCUK’s structural development from inception, strengthens its legitimacy.
How does the national Youth Council relate to local youth councils (like ours)?
The national body (YCUK) sets a framework and amplifies youth voices at national level. Local youth councils remain important as grassroots, on-the-ground structures.
Local councils could feed into YCUK by representing local youth voices upward, or via partnerships or liaison.
The national body does not replace local structures; instead, it aims to coordinate, represent, and link youth voice across regions and nationally.
Who is eligible to take part or become a member?
NYA is inviting organisations across the UK to become members of the new Youth Council UK. They can help shape YCUK as stakeholders, partners, or collaborators.
Members may include:
- national or local youth organisations
- youth wings of political parties
- any committee, network or body where young people have decision-making or policy-making power
- youth participation bodies aligned with government at any level – for example, a youth council, youth parliament or youth forum.
- youth support bodies or corporates – for example, a youth work unit, an organisation with an interest in youth or youth work, or a ‘for youth’ organisation looking to engage young people in their policy development.
Is the £50 joining fee my annual membership?
No, the £50 is a joining fee, which is essentially a deposit payment to secure membership. The full 3 tiered annual membership fee will be effective from 1st April 2026.
Membership will operate on a tiered annual fee basis, depending on the size of organisation (as set out in the YCUK Membership & Elections paper).
Indicative starting rates:
- Small Organisation – £100
For local or community organisations or groups with fewer than 10,000 young participants or reach. - Medium Organisation – £500
For medium-sized organisations or groups with between 10,000 and 150,000 young participants, members, or reach. - Large Organisation – £1,500
For large organisations or groups with more than 150,000 young participants, members, or reach. This includes devolved nations and UK-wide participation structures.
What do I get as a Founder Member?
As a Founder Member, you’ll have the chance to help shape YCUK’s priorities and membership offer, join early forums and events, and be recognised as one of our founding partners on our website and in reports.
You will also have the chance for your young people to be elected to the Executive Committee for the first 2-year cycle (3 years for Young Ambassadors who focus on international activity)
Who can be elected to the Youth Council UK Executive Committee?
Organisations can nominate young people to stand for election to a number of different roles within the Executive Committee.
The Youth Council UK is for organisations working with all young people who live, study, or work in the UK.
It values lived experience, enthusiasm, and commitment more than grades or titles. Everyone’s voice counts equally.
The council is party-politically neutral.. It’s about improving the community, not promoting specific parties or candidates.
How much of a commitment is YCUK once elected?
Most members serve for two-years, with opportunities to reapply or take on mentoring roles for new members after their term.
Young Ambassadors serve a term of three years, with the last 18 months of this spent as voting members of the executive committee.
Meetings will usually happen monthly with opportunities for extra involvement if members choose. The time commitment is flexible and designed to fit around school, work, or other commitments.
Do youth council members or representatives get paid or receive support?
While members of the Executive Committee do not get paid, reasonable expenses are covered to ensure that there are no financial barriers to access and inclusion.
Travel, subsistence, and costs will be covered by YCUK, as will expenses associated with additional needs.
What do you gain from being elected?
There are plenty of advantages for joining YCUK and every person’s experience is personal, but here are a few benefits:
- Leadership and teamwork experience
- Opportunities to influence decisions
- Networking with community leaders and peers
- Skills in communication, event planning, and advocacy
- A chance to make real change for local youth
What is NYA’s role?
The British Youth Council (BYC) ceased operating in March 2024, and NYA stepped in to redesign and rebuild the institution in a new format.
NYA is acting as the convening and coordinating body while the structural, governance, and design work is done.
Consultations took place from November to December 2024 (focus groups, surveys, stakeholder interviews) to gather input from young people, youth organisations, and sector stakeholders about the future youth council.
Working collaboratively, two key groups were integral to the design process:
- A Youth Advisory Group (YAG) made up of young people (ages 16–25) who brought lived-experience and to co-design the model
- An Expert Advisory Group (EAG) made up of professionals and sector experts to provide guidance, oversight, and sector insight
NYA’s role is explicitly not to permanently “own” or run the Youth Council; the aim is to create a truly independent, sustainable youth-led charitable body.
What is new about how Youth Council UK is shaped?
NYA, alongside the Youth Advisory Group and Expert Advisory Group framed the design process around the principles of youth voice, influence, and impact.
There is an emphasis on inclusivity, sustainability, and authenticity. Purposefully, the new Youth Council UK is not replicating old models but building something that can last and reach diverse youth.
Adults will provide guidance and support, but the council is youth-led. Members set their own priorities, run projects, and have a genuine say in how things are done.
