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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

First jobs, what can we expect teens to earn?

36 replies

NorahNorah · 28/05/2023 07:54

Good morning, happy half-term,
In our teens' first jobs .. cafe, supermarket, clothes shops .. restos? What would we expect to be a decent rate?
I've heard it's less for teens who are under 16, but does that mean it can be anything, and would we expect them to be paid minimum wage after 16?
What's reasonable, what's right and proper?

OP posts:
Timetogetaproperkitchentable · 28/05/2023 07:59

It isn’t quite that simple. That’s only for over 16s. here That page also explains various restrictions but in short I’d tread carefully. It’s very, very easy for children to be taken advantage of and their GCSEs should be the priority.

Child employment

Minimum working age and pay for children, how to apply for performance licences and what local council bylaws say about employing children, paying someone over 16

https://www.gov.uk/child-employment/paying

CaptainMyCaptain · 28/05/2023 07:59

Supermarkets seem to pay the full.minimum wage to 16 year olds. Waiting in restaurants pays the least they can get away with.

Blanketpolicy · 28/05/2023 08:00

Unless it is something like a paper round where they get paid per paper delivered I would expect it will be NMW for their age bracket.

mumonthehill · 28/05/2023 08:01

Both ds have always got slightly above minimum wage at that age doing pot washing etc.

jackstini · 28/05/2023 08:46

Dd gets £6 hour for working in a restaurant, mostly prepping drinks for service

pisspants · 28/05/2023 08:52

there are quite a lot of employers who pay adult min wage rather than their age min. wage. My daughter cleans at the moment and gets about £3 more per hour than her friends who are trained lifeguards at the moment. It's definitely worth checking as makes a massive difference.

XelaM · 28/05/2023 09:03

My daughter is 13 and works at our local livery yard mucking out. She gets paid £20 to muck out several stables but it only takes her 2 hours to do it, so that's great per hour wage. The yard pays £60 for a full day weekend shift but those are very popular and hard to get.

Original poster
NorahNorah · 28/05/2023 09:07

Thank you everyobne, that's so helpful. @jackstini @pisspants @XelaM @mumonthehill How formal was the process, signed paperwork (I presume?) gave over bank details for pay, certainly for a supermarket job, is that right?

OP posts:
notapizzaeater · 28/05/2023 09:16

If they are under 16 they also need a work permit from the local council which outlines the permitted hours.

Justyouwait · 28/05/2023 09:19

There are restrictions about what your child can and can’t do, and that is determined by your local council. In our local authority, businesses can receive a £1000 fine if children under 16 do not have a work permit , which the employer must apply for through the council. It asks for the number of hours to be worked, any medical exemptions , and specifies certain jobs that teens must never do. (Eg they are never allowed to work in a commercial kitchen, think this part is general uk employment law, which is annoying as that means washing up jobs etc are out).

Wombastic · 28/05/2023 09:20

Dd got about 7-8ph as a 16 yo

QueenofLouisiana · 28/05/2023 09:23

It’s just over £5/hr for under 16s in the cafes and pubs round here.

If over 16 the bigger firms pay more. DS is 17 and got a job cleaning in a school (DBS needed obvs), he earns £11/hr which is really good.

JulieHoney · 28/05/2023 09:29

It’s just over £5 an hour for 16 and 17 year olds, and that (appallingly low rate) is what most of the teens around here get for waiting tables, take away places, working in salons, washing up in kitchens etc.

The large employers like the council seem to give everyone NMW regardless of age, which almost doubled the income, but there are fewer jobs in those sectors that work around school commitments.

Babysitting rate is area-dependent.

bellsandwhistles333 · 28/05/2023 09:32

My 16 years old step daughter works at macdonalds and they pay great think it's £7.94 or something similar

bellsandwhistles333 · 28/05/2023 09:33

Sorry posted too soon! She does 3 shifts a week and comes out with 270-300 a fornight

AnneElliott · 28/05/2023 09:35

DS is 16 and get the full adult minimum wage. That's because he's the youngest where he works and they all get the same as they do the same job.

Tree543 · 28/05/2023 09:40

My 17 year old has two jobs.

As a referee for kids football which is £25 to £40 per match depending on age group.

Works in a boarding school kitchens 2 evenings a week. I thinks that is £9.50 an hour, not sure if has gone up with the NMW increase.

Fandabedodgy · 28/05/2023 09:48

It's £5.18 for u see 18s

Anything less and the employer is breaking the law and exploiting your child.

Employers doing this should be reported. Here is how

Think you are being underpaid? Find out how to report this to HMRC. This only takes 5 minutes and you can report your employer even if you no longer work for them. Your details will not be shared with your employer.

highlandspooce · 28/05/2023 10:07

Are you in the UK? it's just we have a national minimum wage which basically answers your question. There are employers out there paying more but minimum wage would be your expectation.

highlandspooce · 28/05/2023 10:08

Just read the second part of your OP Biscuit

Under 16s will find it near in impossible to get the type of jobs you mentioned due to insurance. It's hard enough for the 16-18 bracket these days.

mumonthehill · 28/05/2023 10:08

@NorahNorah for first jobs they had to do a cv and then formally paid either each week or month. They have both been well looked after.

HelpMeGetThrough · 28/05/2023 10:09

Eldest started in ASDA at 16 and was getting £10.50 and hour, he's at Uni now and still works there in the holidays. He's on over £11 an hour when he's there now.

Youngest is 16 and is an FA qualified referee. He gets £30 per match when referee and £20 if he's on the line. He's done nicely out of it, as he can get 3 or 4 games in a week.

Imnoonesfool · 28/05/2023 10:14

My son is 16 and has worked Aldi for the past 7 months. He earns £11 per hour raising to £11.50 shortly following another pay rise. He works 16 hrs a week and has managed to save enough for a car. They are really good to him. He has actually just reduced his hora to 12 per week (so 4 hours after college in week and 8-4 Sunday) he also gets paid breaks, annual leave and sick pay

SwayingInTime · 28/05/2023 10:28

Mine were careful to exclude any employers, paying wage related minimum wage from their searches. Clerks and all the supermarkets pay really well, same as an 18-year-old. She’s found the hours she wants at a shop she prefers so is happy with £7.60/hr (rising to £8.40/hr). I don’t know what the fashion shops pay, she didn’t end up applying to any.

what’s surprised me is no Sunday rates anywhere - I am very old fashioned obviously!