School children must have a permit to do a part time job. Read our guide for parents, carers, employers, schools and pupils.
Law overview
The law governing child employment exists to ensure that children are protected and not exploited if they have a part time job, while still of compulsory school age (that includes up to the last Friday in June of their year 11).
What we mean by compulsory school age
A child is of compulsory school age until the last Friday in June of their Year 11, if their 16th birthday occurs between the previous 1 September and the following 31 August.
The law says:
no child under 13 years may be employed
children from 13 to compulsory school leaving age must carry their work permit with them when working
the employer is responsible for the health and safety of the child while at work
Schools can help to prevent children being exploited in employment by:
raising awareness of child employment issues in school
making sure pupils know they are legally required to have a work permit
notifying their attendance improvement officer (AIO) of pupils who are working
Employer duties
If you are employing school age children you have a legal duty to:
apply for a work/volunteer licence before any child commences with the organisation (all children 13 to 16 years of age in employment are legally required to have a work/volunteer licence)
undertake a risk assessment
make sure your insurance permits you to employ under 16s
make sure that children are employed for the correct number of hours
make sure that children are employed doing work which is not harmful to their safety, health or welfare and does not interfere with their attendance at school
make sure that no child is employed in a prohibited job
Types of work
Children are only allowed to do certain types of work.
Jobs allowed
Work children can do
Agricultural or horticultural work
Delivery of newspapers, journals and other printed materials, and collecting payment for the same, subject to the provisions of byelaw 3(1)
Shop work, including shelf stacking
Work in hairdressing salons
Office work
Cafe or restaurant work
Work at riding stables, kennels and catteries
Car washing by hand in a private residential setting
Domestic work in hotels and other establishments offering accommodation
Jobs not allowed
Work children cannot do
Work in a cinema, theatre, discotheque, dance hall or nightclub, except in connection with a performance given entirely by children*
Selling or delivering alcohol, except in sealed containers
Delivering milk before 7am
Selling or delivering fuel oils
Work in a commercial kitchen
Collecting or sorting refuse
Any work that is 3m above ground level or, in the case of internal work, more than 3m above floor level
Work involving harmful exposure to physical, biological or chemical agents
Collecting money, or selling or canvassing door to door, except under the supervision of an adult
Work involving exposure to adult material or in situations which are for this reason otherwise unsuitable for children
Telephone sales and canvassing
Work in any slaughterhouse or in that part of any butcher’s shop or other premises connected with the killing of livestock, butchery, or in the preparation of carcasses or meat for sale
As an attendant or assistant in a fair ground or amusement arcade or in any other premises used for the purpose of public amusement by means of automatic machines, games of chance or skill or similar devices
Providing personal care to residents of any residential care home or nursing home unless under the supervision of a responsible adult
*This does not prevent children taking part in performances under the provisions of a licence granted in accordance with the children and young persons act 1963, and the associated regulation risk. Read more about child performance licences.
Working hours
Employed children must:
do no more than four hours of work without a rest break of at least one hour
not work before 7am or after 7pm on any day (night work is not allowed)
have at least two weeks of holiday per year, which must be work and school free
There are also rules depending on the child's age and whether it is term time, a weekend or a school holiday.
Term time working hours
A child can work for no more than 12 hours per week.
A child can work a maximum of 2 hours on a school day in one of the following ways:
one hour starting not earlier than 7am before the start of school, and a maximum of one hour between the end of school and 7pm
a maximum of two hours between the end of the school day and 7pm
School holiday working hours
Children under 15 can work no more than 5 hours work per day and no more than 25 hours per week.
Children over 15 can work no more than 8 hours per day and no more than 35 hours per week.
Weekend working hours
Saturdays
Children under 15 can work for no more than five hours per day.
Children over 15 can work for no more than eight hours per day.
Sundays
Children can do no more than two hours of work on a Sunday.
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