What's the minimum age to work?

[musicposy]

My DD has just turned 14 and is desperate to get a little Saturday job. There's so many things she wants that our out of our reach financially, she says she'd like to have more means of saving up for things. Most people have said they think it's 16, though.

Anyone know? She currently helps her ballet teacher on a Saturday but that's for free and I think, although it's been good experience for her for a year or so, that she might as well be being paid for something.

I have no idea why this posted twice - I only clicked once, honest!

It looks like 14, with restrictions, from what I can make out.

So, has anyone's 14 or 15 year old managed to get a job, and if so, where?

Paper rounds are no good as she goes ice skating in the early mornings so isn't free before school hours.

no my teens didn't manage to get a shop job or anything - everyone wanted a NI number.

mine did paperround for £25 a wwek mornings

13 for some jobs but most jobs it's 14 the school will give you a consent form for you and employer to sign they'll also have guidelines on working hours maximum for age etc.

Connexions website had full details of legality when DD was looking - check under the Employers section.

From her experience, hotels and places like golf clubs were most likely to take from 14 plus (often illegally). She waitressed for a while then got a job in a small shop when she was 15. Rate of pay varied a lot from about £3.50 to £5 per hour. There is no minimum wage for under 16s and we found a lot of businesses were willing to cherry pick which laws they adhered to. For instance, she was only legally allowed to do a couple of hours on a Sunday, nothing after 7pm etc but the hotel expected 9 hour shifts, sometimes finishing at 10.30.

Employers are supposed to get permission from the local council for employing school age kids.