In the UK, the minimum age is generally 13 for part-time work, as long as the employer has a child employment permit from their local council1. However, young workers have restrictions on the number of hours they can work and the type of work they can do. Full-time employment is allowed once an individual reaches the minimum school leaving age, typically at 16. This article goes into the particulars of young workers: their rights, protections, and limitations.
Minimum Working Age in the UK
"Going to work" is such a broad concept that we have many qualifiers to define what 'going to work' means on a case-by-case basis. For instance, tutoring is work, but peer-tutoring is not considered work. Here, we dissect two work qualifiers and explain what age you can work in the UK under each condition.
Part-time work
- quantified as less than 35 hours per week
- from the age of 13, you may take on part-time work
- for young workers, their jobs may not interfere with their education.
- young workers are limited in the type of work they can do
- they are also limited in the number of hours they can work
Full-time work
- quantified as 35 hours or more per week
- In Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales, you may take on full-time work from age 16
- In England, students must stay in education until age 18
- English students may take on apprenticeships to satisfy earning needs and educational requirements
- apprenticeship work hours and earnings may be limited
You might marvel at young actors who put on dazzling displays of acting talent. According to the UK government website, child actors, models, and other such public-facing workers must be at least 14 years old and have a special permit for this type of work. Otherwise, that website outlines requirements and guidelines for workers as young as 13.
In the UK, child employment regulations include restrictions on age, working hours, types of work, and health and safety considerations to protect young workers.
Part-Time Work Regulations For Young Workers
During the 18th century, the UK was the engine of the First Industrial Revolution. This feverish period of production saw children as young as six years old scampering through and into clattering machines. These conditions compelled reformers of the day to insist on legislation to protect child labourers.
Their efforts led to the first-ever Factory Act of 1833, which set the world's first minimum working age, and mandated at least two hours of education per child worker per day.
More than a century later, historian and philosopher Arnold Toynbee expounded on the evil of premature and excessive child labour. Not that we need reminders. But sometimes, we need to remember history to understand why work regulations for the youngest labourers exist, and why they're so stringent.
Those are the general guidelines for the the types of jobs you may have access to at your age. Now, let’s break down exactly how and when you can work2 :
| Age Group | Term Time - School days | Term Time - Saturdays | Term Time - Sundays | School Holidays - Weekdays | School Holidays - Saturdays | School Holidays - Sundays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15s | Up to 2 hours | Up to 5 hours | Up to 2 hours | Up to 5 hours | Up to 5 hours | Up to 2 hours |
| 15-16 year olds | Up to 2 hours | Up to 8 hours | Up to 2 hours | Up to 8 hours | Up to 8 hours | Up to 2 hours |
And that's just setting your baseline hours. The UK government page on child labour restrictions goes on to list a host of other restrictions employers face when scheduling young workers. They must not schedule you to:
- work before 7 am or after 7 pm
- work for more than one hour before school starts
- work for more than 4 hours a day without an hour break
- work during school hours
- work without a break of at least 2 weeks a year
- work in places like a factory or industrial site or anywhere that may be harmful to your health
How old do you have to be to get your first job?
In the UK, the minimum age for a first job depends on the type of work and where you live.
The short answer: most young people can start working at 13.
Light work only (for example, newspaper delivery, shop work, or helping in a café)
Can work more freely once you reach the school leaving age
Can do all types of work, including jobs with age restrictions
When Can You Get Your First Full-Time Job?
Employers may hire you for a full-time job after you've reached the minimum school leaving age. And then, you'll only land the job after you’ve left school, which leaves you free to work up to 40 hours a week. The age you can leave school varies depending on where you live.
In England, you must stay in full-time education, apprenticeship or training until you’re 18.
If you’re in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, you may leave school when you turn 16.
Education and Training Requirements
Welsh, Scottish, and Northern Irish youth workers don't have to participate in formal education past the age of 16. But that doesn't mean your employer won't send you to training programmes so you can do your job better.
However, as noted above, English students must stay in some sort of formal education arrangement until they reach 18 years of age. If you live in England, you have two options.
Higher Education
- A-Levels
- T-Levels
- V-Levels
- All are pathways to university study
Apprenticeship
- Standard: traditional work-study arrangements
- Units: short-form courses
- Foundation: for specialised training
- Supported: for learners with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
You might have read about the benefits of having an internship and may prefer an internship to an apprenticeship. You should note, though, that internships don't necessarily qualify as further education. Nor do they prepare you for a future career.
Their focus tends to be narrow, pinpointed on the company offering the internship. You'll pick up skills, of course, but likely not as broad in range as you would gain from a years-long apprenticeship.
English students have one more option: dropping out of the system altogether. This path puts these learners in violation of the law, regardless of the reasons they may have for choosing it. And if that weren't bad enough, this move will likely compromise their future earnings and stability for the rest of their lives. No caring person would recommend this pathway.
Wages for Young Workers
Once you leave school, you're in a sort of middle ground between child worker and adult employee. You'll have all the protections young workers are entitled to, but you likely won't have the clout needed to negotiate your salary, as an adult worker can. Conversely, you must be of at least school-leaving age to be legally entitled to the minimum wage.
As of April 2026, minimum wage is £8 for workers aged 16-18 and apprentices3. However, you may not receive £8 x the number of hours you worked because you may have to pay taxes on your earnings.
Our country levies two taxes on its workers:
1. Income tax: workers pay a set a percentage of their earnings and other income.
2. National insurance: these worker taxes fund healthcare and retirement benefits.
In this respect, young workers fall into the adult employee category. If they earn above the personal allowance limit for taxation, they must pay taxes on all their earnings. In real numbers, that means if you earn more than £12,570/year, you will be taxed at 20% of your earnings. If you earn less than that per year, you owe 0 income tax.
National insurance contributions are a different story. You must contribute to the fund if you earn more than £242 in a week. Every week, workers' earnings are assessed and, if they earn more than that amount, the taxation system triggers and automatic 6% deduction from your wages. You do not have to do anything to comply with this law.
Earnings for Self-Employed Young Workers
Naturally, the above information applies to workers who have a boss and report to a facility to perform work. But let's say you've set yourself up in a tutoring, dog-walking, or babysitting business.
You are now your own boss, and all the responsibility for tax law compliance falls on you. These are the steps to take to not fall afoul of the law.
Now, for your National Insurance tax burden and, here, the news is all good5. For self-employed workers under 21, there is no requirement to pay National Insurance contributions. However, you might still consider launching a few pence their way just to keep your record clean. A mere £3.65 per week should do it.
1. The minimum wage for young workers and apprentices is £8/hour. Under-16 workers have no guarantee of a minimum wage (but many employers offer it anyway).
2. Workers younger than 15 do not have to pay National Insurance but must pay income tax if their earnings exceed £12,570/year.
3. Workers aged 16-18 are liable for income tax if they earn more than £12,570/year, and National Insurance Contributions if they earn more than £242/week.
4. Hired workers don't need to worry about reporting and paying taxes, but self-employed young workers do.
About financial literacy: too many young workers receive their first wages with disappointment because they never expect the tax hit. All this may sound boring and dry, but knowing this helps you understand where your money is going when it doesn't land in your pocket. Consider this your first lesson in financial literacy, a skill that escapes even adult workers.
References
- “Employing Under-18s.” VisitBritain.org, www.visitbritain.org/business-advice/pink-book/employing-under-18s. Accessed 11 June 2026.
- Government Digital Service. “Child Employment.” GOV.UK, 26 Jan. 2012, www.gov.uk/child-employment/restrictions-on-child-employment. Accessed 11 June 2026.
- ACAS. “National Minimum Wage Entitlement.” Acas.org.uk, 2 Apr. 2025, www.acas.org.uk/national-minimum-wage-entitlement. Accessed 11 June 2026.
- Mr.RazaSubhani. “Do 16-Year-Olds Pay Tax in the UK? - Xact+ Accountants UK.” Xact+ Accountant, 14 Oct. 2024, xactaccountants.co.uk/do-16-year-olds-pay-tax-in-the-uk/. Accessed 12 June 2026.
- Wood, Helen. “How Much National Insurance Do I Pay?” Taxassist.co.uk, TaxAssist Accountants, 2026, www.taxassist.co.uk/resources/articles/how-much-national-insurance-do-i-pay. Accessed 12 June 2026.
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