How old do children have to be before they can work in England?

Children are not legally allowed to work until they are 13.

What times can children work?

Children can only work after 7 a.m. and before 7p.m.

On a school day they can only work for up to 2 hours.

How many hours can a teenager (13 and 14 year olds) work?

15 and 16 year olds may work for up to 8 hours on Saturdays and up to a maximum of 35 hours during school holidays.

The kind of jobs teenagers can do

Delivering newspapers

Many teenagers will get up early to deliver newspapers to houses in their local area before going to school. They are known as Paperboys or Papergirls.

Babysitting

Looking after young chidren in their home whilst their parents have gone out for the evening is a popular job for teenagers, as they get paid for watching children and television all at the same time!

Helping the Milkman on his round

From the age of 14 some teenagers help the milkman deliver milk to houses.

Other popular jobs include:

• Agricultural or horticultural work.
• Working in a shop.
• Working in a hairdressers.
• Office work.
• Washing cars (not in a garage).
• In a café or restaurant.
• Working in a riding stables.
• Domestic work in hotels.

What do teenagers need to start working?

They need to have a work permit. An application form for the work permit can be obtained from school or local Education Welfare Office.

How much money do teenagers get paid for working?

It depends on the kind of work but could be anything up to £3 per hour.

The National Minimum Wage does not apply to workers under 16, and there is no protection in English law regarding wage rates for those under the age of eighteen.