Employing young people and children

Updating author: Lynda Macdonald

On this page:
Summary
Future developments
Key references
Restrictions on the employment of children
Work experience and children
Restrictions on the employment of young persons
Employment rights of children and young persons

Summary

For the purposes of the relevant legislation, a young person (or minor) is someone aged 16 or 17, while a child is someone under school leaving age. 

• There are various statutory restrictions on the employment of children in certain jobs and on the hours that children may work. (See Restrictions on the employment of children)
• The law prohibits the employment of children under the age of 14, and it is not permissible to employ children of any age in an industrial undertaking. (See Restrictions on the employment of children)
• There are statutory restrictions in place which limit the number of hours children can work and the timing of children's employment. (See Restrictions on the employment of children)
• Children in their last two years of compulsory schooling may undertake work experience. (See Work experience and children)
• An employer that wishes to employ a child must obtain a permit from the local education authority which may set out certain conditions that must be adhered to. (See Restrictions on the employment of children)
• Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, restrictions are imposed on the hours of work of young persons under 18 years of age and there are also minimum rest breaks. (See Restrictions on the employment of young persons)
• Young persons have, on the whole, the same statutory rights in recruitment and employment as people over the age of 18. (See Employment rights of children and young persons)

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Future developments

Children: Proposals to simplify the laws that regulate the employment of children have been announced. 

At present, because specific restrictions relating to the employment of children can be determined by local authorities, regulations vary from region to region. The previous Government proposed to bring together all child legislation and clarify the type and amount of work that school-age children can legally do.