How to Help Your 11–13-Year-Old Start Earning Money ​

In this next post from our nimbl collaboration series, we’re exploring practical ways for 11– to 13-year-olds to earn their own money legally and safely.

Whether it's walking the neighbour’s dog, washing cars, or helping out in the garden, these informal, local jobs are a great stepping stone into the world of earning, and a brilliant way to teach real money management.

Here’s how to support your child to take on their first “mini job,” stay within the rules, and build smart money habits with their extra pocket money, with tools like nimbl.

Can an 11–13-Year-Old Earn Money?

Yes, but with limits. A business can’t legally employ children under 13, and part-time jobs are only allowed at the age of 13 under strict conditions.

That said, informal work, such as helping neighbours, washing cars, or pet sitting, is usually acceptable as long as it’s safe, supervised, and doesn’t interfere with school.

Once your child turns 13, they can work part-time if:

• The job is light and age-appropriate

• The local council issues a child employment permit

• The work is limited to set hours, school holidays, or weekends
  

We’ll cover the legal stuff below, but the key thing to know is that there’s a big difference between earning a few quid from a neighbour and formal employment.

Jobs That Work for This Age Group

Here are a few simple, tried-and-tested ways young entrepreneurs aged 11–13 can earn some extra money safely and legally:

Dog Walking and Pet Sitting​

This is a favourite for animal-loving tweens. It's a great way, and a fun way, for your youngster to gain valuable experience with responsibility, and as a dog walker, it's one of the best jobs for staying active and spending time outside, rather than sitting and watching TV, plus they are also making some of their own cash in their free time, a sa little side hustle, so its a win win. 

Your child could pop in to feed a neighbour’s cat or take a friendly dog for a short walk (with your supervision if needed).

Things to consider:

• Always meet the animal first. Not all pets are friendly with strangers. Some dogs may be nervous, excitable, or reactive, especially around children or unfamiliar people. Meeting them in advance helps ensure the animal is safe to handle. Pets are more comfortable when they recognise who’s looking after them. A brief, calm introduction helps the child build a connection, making walks or visits much easier.
  

• Ask for clear written instructions, such as feeding times and daily routines, and, if possible, observe the pet owner performing the task once so you know exactly what to expect.
  

• Only agree to jobs your child can manage safely, and that you’re willing to step in and help with, just in case they change their mind or can’t follow through! 
  

• A 30-minute walk might earn around £5–£10
  

Car Washing​

Car washing is a classic starter job that serves as a simple way to earn some extra cash, helping kids understand that effort equals income.

I know it's how I got started in the world of earning some extra money; that 50p I earned cleaning my parents' cars felt like a fortune!

Tips to help them get started:

• Use a sponge and bucket only (no pressure washers!)
  

• Practice on the family car first; make sure they know how to do it properly and how to avoid scratching the car, as that could be a costly or embarrassing mistake. 
  

• Offer extras like cleaning windows or vacuuming
  

• Charge a simple flat fee (£5 is fair for an outside clean)
  

Encourage them to make a little flyer and, with parents’ help, pop a message on social media platforms or local WhatsApp groups. One or two regular customers are all they need, ideally friends, family and neighbours.

Garden Help​

Older neighbours or relatives often need a hand keeping gardens tidy.

Jobs could include:

• Sweeping leaves

• Watering pots

• Pulling weeds

• Planting bulbs in spring or autumn
  

It’s great for kids who enjoy the outdoors and don’t mind getting a bit muddy. It's also good exercise, keeping the kids away from their tablets and those pesky YouTube channels!

Household chores

From hoovering, dusting, mopping, tidying garages to cleaning bins, there are numerous ways to lend a hand close to home. Needless to say, this isn't something you can advertise as a service for young people to provide to others; it's more of a role they could perform at home, for friends, family, or even neighbours. But it's great work experience, and young people showing a willingness to perform some simple tasks and put in some hard work is a great idea, and not just for the young one to earn some extra money, but also to learn valuable skills about the different types of jobs that have to be done around the home, and how frustrating mess can be to have to tidy up, and hopefully that'll sink in and you'll get more respect for the hard work, as parents, you have to put in, to keep your house clean and tidy! 

But Is It Legal?​

Here’s what you need to know:

• Children under 13 cannot be employed in the UK, regardless of the job's size or scope.
  

• Informal work (helping neighbours, family members, friends) is fine as long as it’s occasional, safe, and supervised, so there will likely be a fair bit of parents’ help required.
  

Once your child turns 13:

• They can be employed part-time with a child employment permit from your local council.
  

• Their employer applies for this permit and must complete a risk assessment, as well as obtain parental consent.
  

• The job must not interfere with school or be unsafe.
  

Working hours for 13-year-olds (England):​

• Term time:

  • Max 12 hours per week

  • No more than 2 hours on a school day

  • Max 5 hours on a Saturday, 2 hours on Sunday

    
    
    
    

• School holidays:

  
  

  • Max 25 hours per week

  • No more than 5 hours/day Mon–Sat, 2 hours Sunday

  • Only between 7 am and 7 pm

  • Must have a 2-week break during the summer holidays
    

For full details, visit: gov.uk/child-employment

Let Them Lead, But Stay Involved​

Help your child come up with their business ideas, but let them take ownership. That means:

• Writing out their prices

• Making a little sign or flyer

• Practising what to say when offering their services

• Keeping track of how much they earn
  

If they’re nervous, roleplay a few conversations. If they need help with pricing, discuss what seems fair and achievable.

Teach Smart Money Habits Alongside

Doing the job is only part of the learning. Once your child starts earning, talk about:

• How to split money between saving and spending

• What they’re saving for

• What they might want to treat themselves to

• Whether they’d like to give a little to charity
  

This is where nimbl is so useful. If your child has a nimbl prepaid debit card, you can help them:

• Track their income in the app, so they can see how their hard work has been paying off.
  

• Set up saving pots for different goals; perhaps things like spending money for a holiday, or a new game they'd like to buy, etc .

• They'll be able to see exactly how much they’ve earned and where they've been spending money, and how much money they've spent. 

  
  

Once a child starts earning their own money, their attitude to spending often changes. They begin to realise that buying something with money they’ve worked hard for feels very different to spending money that’s just been given to them.

If they’ve put in several hours of effort to afford a new toy or item, they start to question whether it’s really worth it. That shift in thinking often leads to smarter spending decisions, and far less wasted money on things they’ll only use once!

A few pounds here and there might not seem like much, but it can lead to lifelong money habits.

Reflect and Celebrate

Once your child has completed a few jobs, whether that’s walking the neighbour’s dog, washing a couple of cars, or helping in the garden, take time to sit down and talk it through.

Ask open questions like:

• What went well?

• What was harder than expected?

• Did they earn more or less than they thought they would?

• Was the job easier or more tiring than they imagined?

• Would they do it again, or try something different next time?
  

This reflection helps them understand what kind of work they enjoy, what they’re good at, and what they’d prefer to avoid in future.

It also helps them start connecting effort with reward, and encourages them to think about what they’d do differently next time, whether that’s improving their pricing, making a flyer, or being better prepared.

Even if they only did one small job, it still counts. These early experiences serve as building blocks for confidence, informed decision-making, and financial awareness. If you supported them through it, give yourself a pat on the back, too! Guiding them through their first paid experience is a brilliant step toward raising financially confident young teens.

This is a collaborative post in conjunction with nimbl, the pocket money card and app for children 6-18