Child work permit

Children are only allowed to do certain types of jobs. It must be light work and there is a limit on the hours they can work. These are different in term time and the school holidays.

Work allowed for children 13 and above

Children aged 13 and above may be employed in light work only, in one or more of these types of work:

• agricultural or horticultural work
• delivery of newspapers, journals and other printed material, and collecting payment for them
• shop work, including shelf stacking
• hairdressing salons
• office work
• car washing by hand in a private residential setting
• in a cafe or restaurant (but must not in a commercial kitchen)
• riding stables
• domestic work in hotels and other places offering accommodation

What ‘light work’ means

Light work is not:

• likely to be harmful to the safety, health or development of children
• harmful to their attendance at school or work experience and their ability to learn from this

Children must not work in:

• commercial kitchens
• amusement arcades
• nightclubs, cinemas or discos
• slaughterhouses
• milk delivery
• residential homes or day centres providing personal care
• street trading (except in official markets)
• selling or collecting money door-to-door

They also may not:

• serve alcohol or cigarettes
• be exposed to harmful substances or dangerous machinery
• lift heavy objects

The hours children can work are different during term time and the school holidays. Whatever the time of year, children can only work between 7am and 7pm, and not at all during school hours.

Hours during term time

Children aged 13 and 14 can work a maximum of 17 hours a week during term time, made up of:

• school days: 2 hours maximum each day
• Saturdays: 5 hours maximum
• Sundays: 2 hours maximum

Children aged 15 and 16 (until school leaving age) can work a maximum of 20 hours per week during term time, made up of:

• school days: 2 hours maximum each day
• Saturdays: 8 hours maximum
• Sundays: 2 hours maximum

Hours during school holidays

Children aged 13 and 14 can work a maximum of 25 hours per week during school holidays, made up of:

• Monday to Saturday: 5 hours a day maximum
• Sundays: 2 hours maximum

Children aged 15 and 16 (until school leaving age) can work a maximum of 35 hours per week during school holidays, made up of:

• Monday to Saturday: 8 hours a day maximum
• Sundays: 2 hours maximum

The child must also have a 2 week break in the year, free of work or school.