Lidl ringfences job interviews for people out of work for six months โ and you donโt need a CV
Lidl is introducing a significant new hiring initiative across its UK operations, reserving a tenth of all interview slots at upcoming stores for individuals who have been out of work for at least six months.
The supermarket giant stated the scheme is designed to address employment barriers and create a more equitable recruitment process.
Over the next year, a portion of entry-level interview opportunities at every new Lidl shop will be ringfenced, alongside at least 480 positions within its 13 warehouses.
Crucially, candidates will bypass the traditional CV submission, being fast-tracked directly to the interview stage.
Lidl is working with local employability partners including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and its Restart scheme to identify candidates and help them prepare for interviews.
People who think they might be eligible but have not been contacted by DWP and its partnering organisations can reach Lidlโs recruitment team through its careers page, the company said.
Stephanie Rogers, chief people officer for Lidl Great Britain, said: โUnemployment is affecting communities right across the country, adding to the pressures many households are already under.
โFor people who are facing barriers into employment, getting that first opportunity can be the hardest step.
โThatโs why weโre fastโtracking interviews across the nation to help people get a foot in the door.โ
The initiative comes at a time when official figures have shown shrinking opportunities in the UK jobs market.
Vacancies fell to a five-year low in the three months to May, particularly affecting retail and hospitality sectors.
Recent figures have also estimated that more than a million 16-24-year-olds were neither in work nor learning in the first quarter of 2026, the highest in nearly 13 years and raising worries about the scale of youth unemployment.
Lidl announced in April that it expects to open 50 new stores over the next 12 months, which would create close to 2,000 new jobs.
New stores include those at Abbots Langley near Watford, Hertfordshire, Warrington in Cheshire, and Thornbury in Gloucestershire, opening this summer.
