Child employment and applying for a child's work permit

Children can benefit from part-time employment, gaining valuable work experience, developing skills and learning about the world of work. However, there are legal restrictions on the type of work children can do and the hours they can work.

A school aged child is generally aged between 13 and 16. A child is no longer legally classed as school-aged from the last Friday in June in the academic year in which they reach 16.

In Hertfordshire, children of compulsory school age who are employed must have a child employment permit, unless an exemption applies.

Download the child's work permit application form

Who is considered as a school-aged child

For child employment purposes, a school-aged child is a child aged 13 to 16 who is still of compulsory school age.

A child is no longer legally considered to be of compulsory school age from the last Friday in June in the academic year in which they reach 16.

Children under the age of 13 cannot be employed, except where different licensing arrangements apply, such as certain performances.

What work children can and cannot do

What can a child be employed to do?

Children aged 13 to 16 can only undertake work that is suitable for their age and does not affect their health, safety, development or education.

Most work undertaken by a school-aged child must be light work.

Light work is work which:

Is not likely to be harmful to the child’s safety, health or development
Does not affect the child’s attendance at school
Does not affect the child’s participation in work experience or their ability to benefit from their education or work experience

Children aged 14 and over may only undertake light work.
Children aged 13 may only undertake light work in the types of employment specifically permitted by Hertfordshire’s employment bylaws.

Work a child cannot be employed to do

A child must not be employed:
in a cinema, theatre, disco, dance hall or nightclub except in connection with a performance given entirely by children
To sell or deliver alcohol, unless in sealed containers
To deliver milk
To deliver fuel oils
In a commercial kitchen, except for washing up or waiting
To collect or sort refuse
In work more than 3 metres above the ground level, or, for internal work, more than 3 metres above floor level
In work involving harmful exposure to physical, biological or chemical agents
To collect money or to sell or canvass door-to-door, except under the supervision of an adult
In work involving exposure to adult material or in situations unsuitable for children
In telephone sales
In a slaughterhouse or in work involving the killing of livestock, butchery or preparation of carcasses or meat for sale
As an attendant or assistant in a fairground or amusement arcade, or in other premises used for public amusement involving automatic machines, games of chance or skill or similar devices
In a gambling environment
In the personal care of residents of a residential nursing home, unless under the supervision of a responsible adult.

Street trading is also subject to additional restrictions. Children under 14 cannot engage in street trading. A child aged 14 or over can only engage in street trading in limited circumstances and must have the appropriate street trader’s licence.

What is 'light work'

Light work is work that is not likely to be harmful to a child's health, safety, education, or development. Children of compulsory school age may only undertake work that is considered "light work" under child employment legislation

Light Work a 13-year-old can be employed to do

In Hertfordshire, a 13-year-old can only be employed in light work in one or more of the following categories:

Agricultural or horticultural work, under the supervision of their parent or guardian
Delivery of newspapers, journals and other printed material, including collecting payment for these
Shop work, including shelf stacking
Work in hairdressing salons
Office work
Hand car washing in a private residential setting
Work in a cafe or restaurant
Work in riding stables
Domestic work in hotels and other establishments offering accommodation.

The work must still meet the definition of light work and all other child employment requirements must be followed.

The hours children can work during term time and school holidays

Hours of work for a child

Children are only permitted to work between the hours of 7am and 7pm.

They must not work during school hours.

The maximum hours a child can work depend on their age and whether they are working during term time or a school holiday.

During term time:

A child can work a maximum of 12 hours per week during term time.

On a school day:

A child can work for a maximum of 2 hours
This can be up to 1 hour before school and up to 1 hour after school, or up to 2 hours after school
A child cannot work during school hours

On Saturday's:

Children aged 13 and 14 can work for a maximum of 5 hours
Children aged 15 and over can work for a maximum of 8 hours

On Sunday’s:

A child can work for a maximum of 2 hours.

During school holidays:

Children aged 13 and 14:

Maximum 5 hours per day
Maximum 25 hours per week
Maximum 2 hours on a Sunday

Children aged 15 and over:

Maximum 8 hours per day
Maximum 35 hours per week
Maximum 2 hours on a Sunday

The maximum daily and weekly limits include hours worked on Saturdays and Sundays.

Weekend employment:

Children can work at weekends, subject to the maximum hours for their age and the overall weekly limit.

Saturday

During term time and school holidays:

Children aged 13 and 14 can work for a maximum of 5 hours
Children aged 15 and over can work a maximum of 8 hours.

Sunday

Children are permitted to work for a maximum of 2 hours on a Sunday.
The relevant term-time or school-holiday weekly maximum must also be followed.

Breaks:

A child who works for more than 4 hours in a day must have a break of at least 1 hour by law.
A child must also have at least 2 consecutive weeks without employment during each year, during a period when they are not required to attend school.

Working during school hours:

Children must not work during school hours.
Employment must not interfere with the child’s education, school attendance or ability to benefit from their education.

The responsibilities of employers

Employers are responsible for ensuring that each child

Employers must:

Obtain the required child employment work permit
Employ the child only during the hours stated on the work permit application
Employ the child only in the occupation, tasks and location stated on the work permit
Carry out an appropriate risk assessment for the desired work
Provide suitable clothing and footwear where the child is working outdoors
Ensure the child is fit to undertake the work
Comply with all applicable child employment legislation and Hertfordshire’s employment byelaws.

A child must be able to produce their work permit for inspection if required by an authorised officer of the council or a police officer.

The difference between child employment and work experience

Work experience arranged as part of a child’s education is different from child employment.
Work experience is governed by education legislation and is not subject to the same child employment rules on permitted occupations, hours and work permits.
You do not need a child employment work permit for work experience arranged by the child’s school.
Should the work experience lead to employment, the employer must apply for a work permit application prior to employment taking place, or as soon as the employment starts, in accordance with the council's requirements.

How to ask a question or raise a concern regarding child employment

If you have a question or concern about a child who is working, contact the Hertfordshire County Council’s school aged employment team:

Email: SAE@hertfordshire.gov.uk

We will consider the information provided and investigate concerns where appropriate.

If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call:

Police: 999
NSPCC helpline: 0808 800 500

Work permit applications

Apply for a permit to employ a child

Employers must apply for a child employment work permit for a school-aged child working in Hertfordshire, unless an exemption applies.

It is illegal to employ a child:

Under the age of 13
Outside the permitted hours
Without the required work permit
For more than the permitted number of hours
Unless the work is permitted and, where applicable, is light work
On a self-employed basis

Who needs a permit?

A permit is required for each child and each employer.

If a child has more than one job, a separate permit is required for each employer/job.

A permit is not required for:

Babysitting
Volunteering as part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme
Work experience arranged by the child’s school

If work experience subsequently becomes paid or unpaid employment, a work permit is required.

If a child lives in Hertfordshire but works in another local authority area, contact the local authority where the employment takes place to find out about its permit requirements.

If your child is Electively Home Education (EHE), please contact the School Age Employment team before applying so we can advise you about the requirements.

How to Apply

Employers must complete the downloaded form below and send it to Hertfordshire County Council within 7 days of the child starting work.

Download the child's work permit application form

The application must include the required information and be signed by the child’s parent or guardian.

If a child lives in Hertfordshire but works in another county, they will need to contact that authority for a permit.

Each permit is specific to the job and employer, if a child has more than one job, you need a permit for each.

Send completed applications to: SAE@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Child employment regulations and guidance

For more information, see:

Child Employment in England is covered by the Children and Young Person Act 1933, by local byelaws, which are drawn up by each Local Authority.

If a child lives in Hertfordshire but works in another county, they will need to contact that authority for a permit.

Each permit is specific to the job and employer, if a child has more than one job, you need a permit for each.

Find out more about child employment regulations.

Read our School Age Employment and Work Permit Guidance for further information on the laws covering the employment of school age children in Hertfordshire, the safeguarding responsibilities of Hertfordshire County Council, and the roles of employers; parents; schools and other partners.

Our Helpful guide for young people leaflet has all the information you'll need if you're 13–16 and are working whilst in statutory education.

Read our Privacy Notice on Work Permit Applications for School Aged Children for details about why we need your information, what we will do with it, how long we will keep it and what your rights are.

Child employment and applying for a child's work permit

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