Jobs for 11 to 13 Year Olds in the UK: What Can They Legally Do?
Updated: Sep 12
This article has been published as part of an advertising collaboration.
If you're looking for jobs for 11- to 13-year-olds in the UK, there's an important distinction between earning some money and being formally employed.
An 11- or 12-year-old normally can't take an ordinary part-time job, while a 13-year-old may be allowed to do certain types of light work, depending on where they live and the rules set by their local authority.
That doesn't mean children this age can't start earning their own money, though. Extra paid jobs at home, washing a family car, helping relatives in the garden or taking on other safe, supervised tasks can all help them learn the connection between work and money before they're old enough for a conventional job.
Can 11, 12 and 13-Year-Olds Legally Work in the UK?
An 11 or 12-year-old cannot normally be formally employed in the UK. Official UK government child employment guidance states that children under 13 can work in some areas, such as television, theatre, modelling, or paid sport, where the relevant child performance licence is in place, but that is different from taking an ordinary Saturday or after-school job.
At 13, the answer can depend on where you live, because the rules are not identical across the UK, and local councils can place their own restrictions on the type of work a child can do, the hours they can work and whether an employment permit is required.
Where you live | What happens at 13? |
England | The usual minimum age for part-time work is 14, but some councils allow children to work from 13. |
Wales | Children can work part-time from 13, subject to local rules and restrictions. |
Scotland | Some local authorities allow 13-year-olds to carry out specified types of light work. |
Northern Ireland | Children can generally do light work from 13, with restrictions on the job and working hours. |
The safest approach is to check the rules for the council area where the child will be working before agreeing to, or even starting to look for, a formal job.
The UK Government has a service to find the relevant local authority for a child work permit.
What Jobs Can an 11-Year-Old Do?
At 11, an ordinary job with an employer is generally not an option, so the most realistic ways to earn money are usually through parents, relatives or other people the family knows well. Keep tasks age-appropriate, and make sure an adult stays involved rather than sending an 11-year-old off to find paying customers on their own.
Ideas could include:
extra household chores beyond their normal responsibilities
washing the family car
helping a relative weed or water their garden
helping to tidy a garage or shed
feeding a familiar pet with an adult involved
helping relatives with simple jobs such as organising books or belongings
selling their own unwanted toys or games through a parent's account
Car washing was one of my own first experiences of earning money. I can still remember the 50p I earned cleaning my parents' cars feeling like a fortune, although I'd probably have to negotiate a slightly better rate these days.
If your child wants to start washing cars, let them practise on yours first. A bucket, sponge and appropriate car-cleaning products are safer than handing them a pressure washer, and it also gives you a chance to make sure they understand how to clean a car without damaging the paintwork.
What Jobs Can a 12-Year-Old Get in the UK?
A 12-year-old is still under the normal minimum age for formal employment, so most of the same restrictions that apply at 11 still apply at 12. Searches for jobs for 12-year-olds that pay often make it sound as though there should be conventional vacancies available, but in practice earning money at this age is much more likely to involve family-supervised tasks than an employer advertising a position.
A 12-year-old may earn money from jobs such as washing cars, helping in the garden, doing extra chores, caring for a family pet with parental involvement, or helping family members with simple practical tasks. If someone outside the family wants to pay them regularly for work, check the local council rules first rather than assuming an informal arrangement falls outside child employment restrictions.
Dog walking is one example where a little extra caution pays off. The child should already know the dog, be physically capable of controlling it, and have an adult involved in deciding whether the arrangement is suitable; a nervous, reactive, or very strong dog isn't an appropriate first money-making job for a child.
What Jobs Can a 13-Year-Old Get in the UK?
At 13, some children can move from family jobs to formal part-time work, but the rules depend on the area. Where local rules allow it, examples of light work can include newspaper delivery, shop work, light office duties, helping in a hairdressing salon, certain café or restaurant duties, work at riding stables, light gardening or agricultural work and washing cars at private homes.
These are just examples, and not a national list of jobs every 13-year-old can automatically take; local bylaws decide what is permitted, and a shop, café or other business may choose not to employ someone that young even when the law would allow it.
That matters when searching online for jobs for 13-year-olds, because a child may legally be able to do some work locally but still find that mainstream employers set their own minimum recruitment age, so asking appropriate local businesses can sometimes be more useful than searching large job sites.
Why Is It So Hard to Find Jobs for 11 to 13-Year-Olds?
Even where a child is legally allowed to work, finding an employer willing to take them on can be difficult. Employing someone under 18 brings extra responsibilities for the business, including assessing risks given a young person's lack of experience and maturity, providing suitable training and supervision, and ensuring the work is appropriate for their age.
For children of compulsory school age, there can also be extra local authority rules and permit requirements to deal with. In practice, some employers may decide the extra administration and restrictions aren't worthwhile, particularly when they can recruit an older teenager who can work more hours and may face fewer restrictions.
For a small shop, café or other local business, taking on a very young worker may therefore involve more administration, supervision and potential cost than taking on an older teenager or adult. Employers also need to make sure their insurance arrangements cover the people and work involved.
That doesn't mean businesses can't employ younger teenagers. It helps explain why being legally old enough to do a particular type of work doesn't necessarily mean many employers will be willing or able to offer it.
Does a 13-Year-Old Need a Work Permit?
They may do, which is another reason not to accept a job first and investigate the rules afterwards. Local authorities can require an employment permit for children below compulsory school-leaving age. If a permit is needed, the employer will normally have to provide details of the child, the work, and the proposed hours.
A parent or carer may also need to consent, and the employer may need to show that the work is suitable and safe. Checking with the local council before the child starts avoids putting the child or employer in a position where the work turns out not to be permitted.
If acting, television, or other performance work interests you, I also have a separate guide on how children can get started in theatre, film, or TV. Read my guide to child acting and performance work.
How Many Hours Can a 13-Year-Old Work?
There isn't one answer for every 13-year-old in the UK because local rules first determine whether a child that age can work at all. Where work is permitted, it must fit around education and the council may set specific restrictions on working hours.
For school-aged children covered by the general GOV. UK rules, work cannot take place during school hours, before 7 am or after 7 pm, and term-time work is capped at 12 hours a week. Children must also have two weeks during the school holidays each year with no work. Check the official restrictions on child employment.
Don't assume those maximums automatically apply to a 13-year-old. The local authority may set tighter rules or may not allow ordinary employment at 13, so check locally before agreeing to the hours.
How Much Can an 11 to 13-Year-Old Be Paid?
School-aged children under 16 are not entitled to the National Minimum Wage. This means there isn't a statutory hourly minimum that an employer must pay an 11-, 12- or 13-year-old in the same way they must for older workers. 👉 Read the GOV. UK rules on paying children and young people.
For an informal job at home, you can agree what seems reasonable for the task rather than trying to create an hourly wage. I would agree on the amount before the job is done, particularly for jobs such as car washing or gardening, because it helps children understand that the work and payment have been agreed rather than changing afterwards.
Based on independent surveys and UK banking data, here’s what children typically earn per task:
🧹 Chore | Typical Payment |
Washing the car | £3.00 – £3.50 |
Babysitting/caring for siblings | £3.00 – £5.00+ |
Bathroom or deep cleaning | £2.00 – £3.00 |
Vacuuming/tidying shared spaces | £1.00 – £2.00 |
Gardening or weeding | £1.30 – £2.00 |
These aren’t set-in-stone pricing rules, just a rough guide on the 'going pocket money rate'.
Some families pay per job, others include them in a weekly allowance. Either way, it’s a brilliant chance to help kids understand the value of money and feel proud of what they’ve earned.
How Can an 11 to 13-Year-Old Find Jobs Near Them?
For this age group, start with people you and your child already know rather than advertising the child to strangers. Family members, trusted neighbours, and family friends may have occasional jobs they need help with, and a parent or carer can handle any messages, money arrangements, and questions about what the job involves.
For a 13-year-old who is allowed to work under local rules, you could also ask appropriate local shops, newsagents, cafés, salons or other small businesses whether they employ school-age children. Check the council rules first so you know whether that type of work is allowed and whether the employer will need to arrange a permit.
I wouldn't put a child's phone number, address or other personal details into a public advert or social-media post. If you're using a local community group to ask about suitable work, the parent or carer should be the contact.
Keeping Their First Jobs Safe
Earning a few pounds isn't worth taking unnecessary risks. A child should know exactly what they're being asked to do, where they'll do it, and who will be there, and the parent or carer should feel comfortable with the person offering the work.
For informal jobs, agree on the task and payment before they start. Avoid equipment, chemicals, machinery, heights, or animals the child can't safely manage, and don't let paid work interfere with school, rest, or normal family life.
Reflect and Celebrate
Once your child has completed a few jobs, take time to discuss their experiences.
Ask open questions like:
What went well?
What was harder than expected?
Did they earn more or less than anticipated?
Was the job easier or more tiring than they imagined?
Would they pursue this job again, or try something different next time?
These reflections help them identify what kinds of work they enjoy, what they excel at, and what they would prefer to avoid in the future.
This also reinforces the connection between effort and reward. It encourages them to strategise for future jobs, whether it’s improving pricing, making flyers, or preparing better.
Even if they only did one small job, it still counts. These early experiences build confidence, informed decision-making, and financial awareness.
If you supported them through this process, give yourself a pat on the back! Guiding them through their first paid experience is a significant step toward raising financially confident young teens.
Helping Them Manage the Money They Earn
The useful part isn't only earning the money. Once your child has been paid, you can use it to start conversations about how much they want to spend now, how much they might save and what they're saving towards.
Encourage them to keep track of what they've earned rather than treating a few pounds here and there as money that automatically disappears. A pocket money card or app can also help if that's how your family manages children's money, particularly if it lets them see their balance and set savings goals.
This article was produced in collaboration with nimbl, the pocket money card and app for children aged 6 to 18, and other kids' money products, such as Monzo, are also options.
You can find more guides on children's bank accounts, earning, saving and managing money in my Kids & Money section.
If your child is getting closer to 14, my guide to summer jobs for 14 to 16-year-olds covers the next stage, including looking for their first more conventional job. Read the summer jobs guide for 14 to 16-year-olds
The first thing I'd do before your child takes on regular work is check your local council's child employment rules. Once you know what is permitted where you live, choose one or two realistic jobs, agree on pay in advance, and let them start small.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an 11-year-old get a job in the UK?
An 11-year-old cannot normally be formally employed in the UK. Children under 13 can take part in some licensed activities such as theatre, television, modelling or sport, but ordinary part-time employment is not normally available.
What jobs can a 12-year-old get in the UK?
At 12, ordinary formal employment is still generally unavailable. A 12-year-old can earn money through age-appropriate tasks at home or family-supervised one-off activities, but parents should check local rules before any regular paid work for someone else.
Can a 13-year-old get a job in the UK?
Sometimes. The rules differ across the UK and by local authority, so a 13-year-old may be allowed to do certain light work in one area but not another; check the relevant council rules before they start.
Does a child under 16 get the National Minimum Wage?
No. School-aged children under 16 are not entitled to the National Minimum Wage, so there is no statutory hourly minimum for this age group.
Does a 13-year-old need a work permit?
They may do. Local authority rules can require a child employment permit for formal work, and the employer normally needs to check and apply for the permit where one is required.
How many hours can a 13-year-old work?
There is no single UK-wide answer for every 13-year-old because local rules decide whether a 13-year-old can work and what is permitted. Where work is allowed, it must fit around school and comply with local restrictions, so check with the relevant council before agreeing to any hours.
