In the UK you can start a part-time job at 13, but until you reach school-leaving age the law limits when and how long you work, which jobs you can do, and you usually need a work permit from your council. From the end of the school year in which you turn 16 the rules relax, and you are entitled to the minimum wage – £8.00 an hour for 16 and 17-year-olds from April 2026. This guide shows what is allowed at each age, the jobs teenagers actually get and how to find them.
At a glance
- Minimum age: 13 for part-time work (TV, theatre and modelling have separate licences).
- Term time: at most 12 hours a week, 2 hours on school days, never before 7am or after 7pm.
- Work permit: usually needed from your council until you leave school.
- Minimum wage: only from school-leaving age – then £8.00 an hour at 16–17 (April 2026).
- At 16–17: up to 8 hours a day and 40 a week, normally no night work.
How old do you have to be to get a job in the UK?
The youngest age you can do a part-time job is 13. The exceptions are television, theatre, film and modelling, where younger children can work with a performance licence from the council. Until you reach school-leaving age you count as a “child” in employment law, and stricter rules apply. GOV.UK sets out the national rules on child employment; councils can add their own byelaws.
Children of school age are not allowed to work:
- during school hours, before 7am or after 7pm;
- for more than one hour before school (unless local byelaws allow it);
- for more than 4 hours without a break of at least 1 hour;
- in factories, on industrial sites or in any work that could harm their health, wellbeing or education;
- without a two-week break from all work during the school holidays each year.
How many hours can 13, 14, 15 and 16-year-olds work?
| Age 13–14 | Age 15–16 (still at school) | |
|---|---|---|
| Term time, per week | 12 hours | 12 hours |
| School days | 2 hours | 2 hours |
| Saturdays in term time | 5 hours | 8 hours |
| Sundays | 2 hours | 2 hours |
| School holidays, per week | 25 hours | 35 hours |
| Holiday weekdays and Saturdays | 5 hours | 8 hours |
Once you are over school-leaving age but under 18 you are a “young worker”: you can work up to 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, you need 12 hours’ rest between working days and a 30-minute break if you work more than 4.5 hours, and you normally cannot work at night. Acas explains the young-worker rules.
When do you leave school? In England and Wales you can leave on the last Friday in June of the school year in which you turn 16; Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own dates. In England you must then stay in education or training until 18 – an apprenticeship, college, or work of 20+ hours a week combined with part-time study all count (GOV.UK – leaving school).
What jobs can teenagers do at each age?
| Age | Typical jobs | Things to know |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Paper round, leaflet delivery, light work in a shop or office, helping on a farm | Council byelaws list the “light work” allowed at 13; it is the narrowest list |
| 14–15 | Saturday job in a shop, café or hairdresser, dog walking and pet sitting, car washing, helping at stables | Kitchen work and machinery are restricted; check with your council |
| 16 (still at school) | Supermarkets, retail, cafés and fast-food restaurants, cinemas, leisure centres | Many big employers hire from 16; term-time hours still apply until you leave school |
| 16–17 (left school) | Retail and hospitality shifts, warehouse work, apprenticeships, seasonal work | Some tasks, such as serving alcohol unsupervised or using certain machines, are restricted under 18 |
Babysitting, odd jobs for neighbours and helping in a family business are informal and are not covered by a permit in the same way – but the time limits are still a good guide, and you should never be left alone with younger children if you do not feel ready.
What should teenagers be paid?
Children of compulsory school age are not entitled to the National Minimum Wage, so pay for a paper round or a Saturday job at 14 is whatever is agreed. From the day you are over school-leaving age the minimum wage applies:
| Age | Minimum hourly rate from 1 April 2026 |
|---|---|
| Under school-leaving age | No legal minimum |
| 16–17 (over school-leaving age) | £8.00 |
| Apprentice (under 19 or first year) | £8.00 |
| 18–20 | £10.85 |
Source: GOV.UK – minimum wage rates. Most teenagers pay no income tax because their earnings stay under the £12,570 personal allowance; if tax is taken from your pay by mistake, you can claim it back. You receive your National Insurance number automatically shortly before your 16th birthday.
How does the work permit work?
- The employer appliesIn most areas the employer applies to the education or child-employment team of your local council, usually within a week of you starting.
- Your parent and school are involvedThe form normally needs a parent’s signature, and the council may check with your school.
- The council checks the jobIt confirms the work is allowed for your age and the hours follow the rules. Permits can be withdrawn if your attendance or schoolwork suffers.
Search for “child employment” plus your council’s name to find the form and the local byelaws. If an employer says you do not need a permit for a regular job, check with the council yourself.
Are there online jobs for teenagers?
Fewer than adverts suggest. Most freelance, survey and selling platforms require users to be 18, and accounts opened with a false age can be closed with the earnings frozen. Realistic options under 18:
- Tutoring younger pupils through family and school contacts, with a parent arranging it.
- Selling things you make or no longer need through a parent’s account, which the parent is responsible for.
- Helping a small local business with social media or photos, agreed with a parent.
Watch out: messages offering teenagers money for “easy online tasks”, reviews or receiving money into your bank account are scams – and passing money through your account can make you a money mule. Tell a parent and report it.
How do you get your first job as a teenager?
- Write a one-page CVSchool, subjects you enjoy, clubs, volunteering, Duke of Edinburgh, anything you organised. Add when you are free to work.
- Ask in personSmall shops, cafés and newsagents often hire people who walk in, especially before Christmas and summer.
- Apply online to big employers at 16Supermarkets, retail chains, cinemas and restaurants advertise on their careers sites; many have Saturday and holiday roles.
- Think about apprenticeshipsFrom 16 you can earn and train at the same time – search GOV.UK – become an apprentice.
Deeper guides to single questions on this route:
- Jobs for 14 year olds in the UK: what you can do and how to start
- Part-time jobs for 16 year olds in the UK
- Online jobs for teens in the UK: what is allowed and what is safe
Questions about jobs for teenagers
What jobs can a 14 year old get in the UK?
Paper rounds, leaflet delivery, Saturday jobs in shops and cafés, dog walking, pet sitting and car washing are the most common. You can work up to 12 hours a week in term time and usually need a council work permit.
Can a 13 year old get a job?
Yes, but only light work from the list in the council’s byelaws, such as a paper round or simple shop work, and only within the same hour limits as 14-year-olds.
How many hours can a 15 year old work?
Up to 12 hours a week in term time (2 hours on school days, 8 on Saturdays, 2 on Sundays) and up to 35 hours a week in the school holidays.
Do 16 year olds get the minimum wage?
Only once they are over school-leaving age. From then the rate is £8.00 an hour (from April 2026). While still at school there is no legal minimum.
Where can 16 year olds work part-time?
Supermarkets, retail chains, cafés, fast-food restaurants, cinemas and leisure centres commonly hire from 16. Apprenticeships are another route once you have left school.
Do teenagers pay tax on their wages?
Usually not: income tax only starts above the £12,570 personal allowance. If tax is deducted by mistake, you can reclaim it.
