Working Part Time

Getting a temporary or holiday job is a good way to gain experience of work and relevant skills which will be useful later on.  

As you are under 16 you can only work if you’ve registered for a work permit.  To get a permit your application form must be signed by your parent or carer.  Your employer will then apply for a work permit for you. 

If you're under 13, you cannot legally be employed, although you can take part in paid sport or entertainment with permission from your local authority.  Once you reach the age of 13, you may be allowed to do some 'light work' that keeps you safe from danger and does not interfere with your school work, eg working in a shop or taking on a paper round.

When you are 14 you can be employed in a wide range of jobs like cafés, restaurants or riding stables but you couldn't work in a factory or on a building site.

There are a lot of rules that control working hours but the basic ones are for 14 year olds:

Term time

• you can only work for two hours on weekdays and Sundays
• you can only work for five hours on Saturdays

School holidays

• you can work for up to five hours on a weekday or a Saturday
• you can't work for more than two hours on a Sunday

You cannot work before 7.00 am or after 7.00 pm on any day.

There is no national minimum wage for young people under 16.