Under School Leaving Age
You have to be aged 13 or over to work part-time. This is the law and is set out in the Children and Young Persons Act.
You can work before or after school, on a Saturday or during the school holidays. You can't work before 7am or after 7pm and you must have a break every four hours that you work.
If you're under 16, you can only work if you've registered for a work permit. To get a permit your application form for your job must be signed by your parent or carer. Your employer will then apply to the local council for a work permit for you. If you want paid work in television, theatre or modelling, you need to get a performance licence from the local council.
There are limits on the types of job you can do when you're under 16. You can't work in hazardous areas such as building sites or places with heavy machinery; you can't drive or ride vehicles or machinery (including farm machinery) and you can't work in a betting office, serve alcohol or work on a ship.
Pay
Workers under 16:
- Don’t have to pay national insurance contributions and you will not have to pay income tax unless you earn over £6,475 for the tax year 2009/10.
- Don’t get the National Minimum Wage. You may get a low rate of pay from your employer. Check with them before you start.
- Don’t get Statutory Sick Pay. You may not get sick pay from your employer if you are ill. Check with them before you start.
- Do have the right to paid holiday in the same way as other workers.
Health and Safety
If you are under 18, your employer must do an assessment of possible risks to your health and safety, before they employ you. They must pay particular attention to your age, lack of experience, and other things that could be a risk to your health and safety.
Your employer must also tell one of your parents or carers the results of the assessment. This must include any risks identified, and any measures put in place to protect your health and safety at work.
You do not have to be given a health and safety assessment if you are doing short term or occasional work in a family business or in a private household, which is not considered to be harmful to you.
Last Updated: 09-Jul-2009
