Hours of work that are allowed: If you work, the following rules apply until you reach school-leaving age. An application form signed by your parents and employer should be completed and sent to the address below before you start working.
| When you are: | You can work on: | During the following hours: |
|---|
| 13 and 14 |
School days |
Not more than a total of 2 hours in one day during the following periods:
- In the morning between 7am and the start of school (1 hour max)
- In the evening between close of school and 7pm
|
| Saturdays * |
5 hours a day between 7am and 7pm |
| Sundays |
2 hours a day between 7am and 7pm |
| School holidays * |
5 hours a day on any weekday (except Sundays) between 7am and 7pm, but total hours worked each week must not exceed 25 hours.
You must have 2 consecutive week breaks in a year and they must be taken during the school holidays. |
| 15 |
School days |
Not more than a total of 2 hours in one day during the following periods:
- In the morning between 7am and the start of school (1 hour max)
- In the evening between close of school and 7pm
|
| Saturdays * |
8 hours a day between 7am and 7pm |
| Sundays |
2 hours a day between 7am and 7pm |
| School holidays * |
8 hours a day on any weekday (except Sundays) between 7am and 7pm, but total hours worked each week must not exceed 35 hours.
You must have 2 consecutive weeks break in a year and they must be taken during the school holidays. |
| 16 |
The hours of employment specified for 15 year olds will apply to you whilst you are of compulsory school age. If you wish, you are legally able to leave school on the last Friday in June in the school year in which you reach the age of 16.
You are not able to take up full-time employment until after that date. |
No child of any age may work more than 4 hours in any day without a rest break of 1 hour
Work that is allowed
| When you are: | You can do this type of work: |
|---|
| 13 |
You may only be employed in ‘light work’ on one or more of the following:
- Agricultural or horticultural work
- Delivery of newspapers, journals and other printed material
- Shop work, including shelf-stacking
- Hairdressing salons
- Office work
- Car washing by hand in a residential setting
- In a café or restaurant
- In riding stables
- Domestic work in hotels and other establishments offering accommodation
|
| 14 and 15 |
You may be employed only in light work.
You may engage in street trading if you are employed by your parent in connection with their business and if you are supervised by them, or if you have been granted a street traders licence by the local authority. |
| 16 |
The above restrictions will still apply whilst you are of compulsory school age. |
Prohibited employment for all children of compulsory school age
No child of any age may be employed:
- in a cinema, theatre, discotheque, dance hall or night club, except in connection with a performance given entirely by children
- to sell or deliver alcohol, except in sealed containers
- to sell cigarettes or medicine
- to deliver milk
- to deliver fuel oils
- in a commercial kitchen
- to collect or sort refuse
- in any work which is more than three metres above ground level or, in the case of internal work, more than three metres above floor level
- in employment involving harmful exposure to physical, biological or chemical agents
- to collect money or to sell or canvas door to door, except under the supervision of an adult
- in work involving exposure to adult material or in situations which are for this reason otherwise unsuitable for children
- in telephone sales
- 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
Child Employment Permit Application Form