Jobs for teens in the UK depend on age.
From 14, or 13 in some council areas, you can do light work such as paper rounds, dog walking, or helping in a local shop.
From school-leaving age, supermarkets, cafés, and fast food chains open up, so this Resume.io guide covers the jobs, hours, and pay at each age.
What are the best part-time jobs for teenagers?
The right part-time job for a teenager depends on what the law allows at your age.
Before school-leaving age, that means light work close to home, such as paper rounds, pet care, and help in local shops.
After school-leaving age, the choice widens to supermarkets, fast food, leisure centres, and apprenticeships.
| Job | Minimum age | Pay | When you would work | Where to look |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper round | 14 (13 in some council areas) | No legal minimum before school-leaving age | Early mornings, weekends | Local newsagents |
| Dog walking or pet sitting | 14 (13 in some council areas) | Agreed with the owner | After school, weekends | Neighbours and family friends |
| Car washing or gardening | 14 (13 in some council areas) | Agreed with the customer | Weekends, holidays | Neighbours and local noticeboards |
| Babysitting | Varies | Agreed with the family | Evenings, weekends | Families you already know |
| Help in a local shop or café | 14, if council bylaws allow | No legal minimum before school-leaving age | Saturdays, holidays | Independent shops and cafés |
| Supermarket assistant | 16, after school-leaving age | 16–17 minimum wage or more | Evenings, weekends | Supermarket careers sites |
| Fast food crew member | 16, after school-leaving age | 16–17 minimum wage or more | Evenings, weekends | Chain careers sites |
| Pool lifeguard | 16, with the NPLQ qualification | 16–17 minimum wage or more | Early mornings, weekends | Local leisure centres |
| Tutoring younger pupils | Varies | Agreed with the family | Evenings | Parents at your school |
| Apprenticeship | 16, after school-leaving age | Apprentice rate or more | Full time, with training | GOV.UK apprenticeship search |
Easy jobs for teens, such as dog walking, car washing, and paper rounds, need no experience and often come through neighbours or family friends.
They also give you something real to put on a first CV when you apply for larger employers later.
Every age limit and pay rate in this guide was checked against official and employer sources in November 2026.
Several popular job guides still quote out-of-date ages and pay, so the date on the advice you follow matters.
What jobs can you get at 13, 14, or 15?
At 14, or 13 where your council allows it, you can do light part-time work such as a paper round, dog walking, or helping in a local shop or café.
At 15, the jobs stay the same, but you can work longer on Saturdays and in the holidays.
Employers must also hold a council work permit wherever local bylaws require one.
GOV.UK now lists 14 as the starting age for part-time work, with 13 allowed only in some council areas.
Many job guides still say 13 for everyone, so check with your council’s education department or education welfare service before you start.
| What you can do | What you cannot do yet |
|---|---|
| Light work that does not affect your health, wellbeing, or education | Work in a factory or on an industrial site |
| Work between 7am and 7pm | Work during school hours |
| Work up to one hour before school, if bylaws allow | Work more than four hours without a one-hour break |
| Paper rounds, shop help, pet care, and gardening | Any job on your council’s banned list |
| Holiday work, with limits by age | Work without a two-week break from all work in the school holidays |
Some work sits outside these rules, in that children under 14 can work in television, theatre, and modelling with a performance licence.
Leicestershire County Council also notes that informal babysitting for family, friends, and neighbours does not need a permit, although rules can vary between councils.
A first job at this age is often found through people you know.
A neighbour who needs a dog walked, or a newsagent who knows your family, can be easier to approach than a large chain that will not hire until 16.
What jobs can you get at 16 or 17?
From school-leaving age, 16 and 17-year-olds can work in supermarkets, fast food restaurants, cafés, cinemas, and leisure centres, or start an apprenticeship.
In England, you must stay in education or training until 18, so most 16 and 17-year-olds work part time alongside college or sixth form.
These jobs open up on your official school-leaving date, which can fall before or after your 16th birthday and differs across the UK:
| Nation | When you can leave school |
|---|---|
| England | The last Friday in June, if you will be 16 by the end of the summer holidays |
| Wales | The last Friday in June, if you will be 16 by the end of the summer holidays |
| Scotland | After 31 May, if you turn 16 between 1 March and 30 September. At the start of the Christmas holidays, if you turn 16 between 1 October and the end of February. |
| Northern Ireland | After 30 June, if you turn 16 between 1 September and 1 July. On 30 June the following year, if you turn 16 between 2 July and 31 August. |
Most large employers recruit from this point. McDonald’s and Tesco both hire from 16, once you have passed school-leaving age.
Common first roles include cashier, barista, and crew member at chains such as McDonald’s.
Some roles stay closed until 18, usually because they involve very early or late shifts.
Qualifications can open up roles at 16 too.
RLSS UK requires pool lifeguards to be 16 by the day of their National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) assessment, after at least 36 hours of training, and the qualification lasts two years.
An apprenticeship is the other route at this age, combining paid work with a recognised qualification.
In England, it also meets the rule to stay in education or training until 18.
How many hours can teenagers work in the UK?
Teenagers under school-leaving age can work up to 12 hours a week in term time, including no more than two hours on a school day.
In the school holidays, the limit rises to 25 hours a week at 14 and 35 hours a week at 15 or 16.
After school-leaving age, the limit becomes eight hours a day and 40 hours a week.
| Age | School days | Saturdays | Sundays | Term-time weekly limit | Holiday weekly limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (or 13 where allowed) | 2 hours | 5 hours | 2 hours | 12 hours | 25 hours |
| 15, or 16 before leaving school | 2 hours | 8 hours | 2 hours | 12 hours | 35 hours |
| 16–17 after leaving school | Up to 8 hours a day | Up to 8 hours | Up to 8 hours | 40 hours | 40 hours |
The limits for school-aged children come from GOV.UK’s child employment guidance, and councils can add stricter rules of their own.
On holiday weekdays, the daily limit is five hours at 14 and eight hours at 15 or 16.
The limits for 16 and 17-year-olds who have left school come from the young worker rules, as set out by Careers Wales.
Working the maximum is rarely the right choice in term time.
Twelve hours across a school week can mean two evenings and a full Saturday, which leaves little room for homework or exam revision.
Many teenagers find a single Saturday shift easier to balance, and save extra hours for the holidays.
How much do teenagers get paid in the UK?
Teenagers under school-leaving age have no legal minimum wage, so pay is agreed with the employer.
From school-leaving age, 16 and 17-year-olds must be paid at least £8.00 an hour (Low Pay Commission, 2026).
Some employers pay more: Aldi pays store assistants £13.50 an hour regardless of age (Grocery Gazette, 2026).
| Age | Legal minimum hourly pay from 1 April 2026 |
|---|---|
| Under school-leaving age | No legal minimum |
| 16–17, after school-leaving age | £8.00 |
| Apprentices under 19 or in their first year | £8.00 |
| 18–20 | £10.85 |
| 21 and over | £12.71 |
Several outdated guides still show the old under-18 rates, so check the date on any pay figure you read as rates change every April.
The gap between the legal minimum and what some employers pay is worth comparing before you accept a job.
A Saturday shift at the 16–17 minimum and the same shift at an adult rate can differ by more than £5 an hour.
Once you reach 16, your employer may also need to pay you through PAYE, so you will receive payslips like any other employee.
Are there online jobs for teens that pay well?
Online jobs for teens are fewer than many guides suggest, because most freelance platforms require users to be adults.
Upwork, for example, requires every user to be 18 or over (Upwork Human Rights Commitment).
Realistic online work for under-18s usually comes through people you know, with a parent involved.
| Online option | Age rule | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Freelance platforms such as Upwork | 18 and over | There is no parent-account exception, and Upwork can suspend accounts that belong to under-18s |
| Tutoring younger pupils over video call | No platform needed | A parent agrees the rate and joins the first session |
| Helping a local business with its social media | No platform needed | The owner pays you directly and agrees the tasks in writing |
| Selling things you make online | Each marketplace sets its own age limit | Read the terms, as a parent may need to hold the account |
Helping with social media for a café or club you already know is one of the more realistic options, because the owner can see your work before paying for it.
Pay for online work varies widely, and none of it is covered by the minimum wage for under-16s.
Treat any offer of high pay for simple online tasks with suspicion, especially if it arrives through a message you did not expect.
How do you get a job as a teenager?
To get a job as a teenager, check what your age allows, write a short CV, and ask employers directly as well as applying online.
Many local shops and cafés never advertise, so a polite question to the manager often works better than waiting for a listing.
- Check your age rules: Make sure the job is allowed at your age, and that any permit your council requires is in place before you start.
- Write a one-page CV: List your school, subjects, clubs, and any volunteering. A teenager CV example or 16-year-old CV example shows a layout that works even with no work experience.
- Ask in person: Visit local shops, cafés, and garden centres at a quiet time, ask for the manager, and leave your CV with your available hours written on it.
- Apply online to larger employers: Use their official careers sites. Chains such as McDonald’s often ask for a short cover letter as well as your CV.
- Prepare for a short interview: Expect questions about your availability, why you want the job, and how you work with others.
Volunteering counts as experience on a first CV, so include it even if it was unpaid.
Parents helping with a search can make introductions, but employers expect the teenager to fill in the application and attend the interview themselves.
How can teenagers stay safe entering the world of work?
Teenagers can stay safe at work by checking that the employer is real, never paying to get a job, and making sure the right permit is in place before starting.
A parent or trusted adult should look over any offer from someone you do not know, particularly online.
Amanda Augustine, a career expert, is clear on the main warning sign:
“Legitimate employers will never request fees for training, equipment, or application processing, nor will they ask for your credit card or bank account details at the start.”
| Green flags | Red flags |
|---|---|
| The job appears on the company’s official careers site | The job only exists in a message or social media post |
| The employer asks for your availability and references | The employer asks for a fee, bank details, or ID before an offer |
| Pay, hours, and duties are clear before you start | The pay sounds high for very little work |
| A work permit is arranged if you are under school-leaving age | You are told a permit is not needed when your council requires one |
| You get proper training and a safe place to work | You are rushed to accept on the spot |
Permits protect more than your hours.
GOV.UK warns that if a child works without a required employment permit, the employer may not be insured against accidents involving that child.
Asking about the permit is a reasonable question, and a responsible employer will expect it.
Key takeaways
- The jobs a teenager can do in the UK depend on age, with the biggest change on the official school-leaving date rather than the 16th birthday.
- GOV.UK lists 14 as the starting age for part-time work, and only some councils allow 13.
- Under school-leaving age, term-time work is limited to a few hours a week, with longer hours allowed in the holidays.
- Pay under school-leaving age has no legal floor, while older teens must receive the minimum wage for their age, and some employers pay considerably more.
- A short CV, a direct approach to local businesses, and a careful check of every offer give teenagers the strongest start.
Frequently asked questions
These answers cover the questions teenagers and parents ask most about first jobs.
Can I work at 15 without a work permit?
Not if your council requires one. Most local councils say employers must apply for a child employment permit before hiring school-aged children. Your employer applies, but you can ask to see it before you start.
Can a 16-year-old work full time in the UK?
Yes, after school-leaving age, up to 40 hours a week. In England, a 16-year-old working 20 or more hours a week must also be in part-time education or training until 18.
