Apply for a work permit
Child employment can start at 13 years old to school leaving age (the last Friday in June of year 11). No child below 13 can be employed to work and there are very limited types of work that a 13 year old can do.
When you need a work permit
When a child of compulsory school age is employed they need a work permit. An employer who employs a compulsory school age child without an employment (work) permit is in contravention of the child employment regulations and action may be taken against them by the local education authority in whose area the employment takes place. This is applicable to all employers by all local authorities.
The law states that all school age children who work require a permit to allow them to do so. If a child is working without a permit the employer is breaking the law, the child may not covered by employers liability insurance and a parent allowing their child to work illegally could be liable for prosecution.
Information you'll need to provide
You will need to provide the following:
- employer’s name and address
- name and address and date of birth of the child
- hours and days on which the child is to be employed
- occupation in which the child is to be employed, details of the task involved and the place of employment
- statement, by a parent of the child, that the child is fit to work and that the parent agrees to the employment
- details of the school at which the child is a registered pupil
- statement to the effect that an appropriate risk assessment has been carried out by the employer (this must be before the child started work)
How to apply for a work permit
An employer must apply for a work permit within a week of employing a child. You can apply for a work permit via education welfare portal .
How much a child can work
The amount a child can work depends on their age.
13 and 14 year olds
Term time – maximum 12 hours per week:
- Monday to Friday (maximum two hours): one hour before school (after 7am) and one hour after school (before 7pm) or two hours after school (before 7pm)
- Saturday (maximum five hours): between 7am to 7pm
- Sunday (maximum two hours): between 7am to 7pm
School holiday – maximum 25 hours per week:
- Monday to Friday (maximum five hours): between 7am to 7pm
- Saturday (maximum five hours): between 7am to 7pm
- Sunday (maximum two hours): between 7am to 7pm
15 and 16 year olds
Term time – maximum 12 hours per week:
- Monday to Friday (maximum two hours): one hour before school (after 7am) and one hour after school (before 7pm) or two hours after school (before 7pm)
- Saturday (maximum eight hours): between 7am to 7pm
- Sunday (maximum two hours): between 7am to 7pm
School holiday – maximum 35 hours per week:
- Monday to Friday (maximum eight hours): between 7am to 7pm
- Saturday (maximum eight hours): between 7am to 7pm
- Sunday (maximum two hours): between 7am to 7pm
The kind of work the child can do
Children must only do ‘light’ work such as:
- newspaper delivery
- shop work
- hairdressing salons
- office work
- waitressing
Children must not work:
- in hazardous places like factories or industrial sites
- at places that will be harmful to their health, well-being or education