Saturday work

If you’re keen to make some extra cash while you’re still at school, Saturday work can be a great way to do it. Read on to find out how old you need to be to get a Saturday job and the law on working hours for young people. And if you’re looking for more information on part-time jobs, you might also like to check out this article.

Being young is not as much of a hindrance as you think it is. Part-time work can be a great way of making extra cash and gaining both independence and experience in the workplace.

How old do you have to be to get a Saturday job in the UK?

There’s a pretty clear answer to ‘How old do you have to be to get a Saturday job in the UK’ and that’s 13 years old. The rules about how many hours you can work on school days and Sundays change as you get older.

According to gov.uk, if you’re 15 or 16:

• You can only work a maximum of two hours on weekdays; an hour before school and one hour after school
• In term time you can work up to eight hours on a Saturday and two hours on a Sunday

If you’re 13 or 14, the same rules apply. The only difference is that you can only work up to five hours on a Saturday.

Things start to change if you’re above school leaving age for both weekdays and Saturdays. If you’re above school leaving age when:

• You can’t work more than eight hours a day, or more than 40 hours a week
• You have to have have a minimum, and usually, maximum of 12 hours’ rest between each working day, and two rest days per working week
• You’re also entitled to a 30-minute rest break when you work for longer than four-and-a-half hours

We should also mention that your options are slightly more limited when it comes to the types of work you’ll get to do as a teenager. For example, you wouldn’t be allowed to work anywhere that could be considered harmful to your health or education. And your local council and even the education department, if things get really out of hand, is likely to enforce that. For more information take a look at our article on the minimum age to work and work for under 18s here.

Summer holiday work

There’s also the option of part-time work during the summer holidays. According to the Gov.UK website, once you’re 16, you can work for eight hours a day, but no more than 40 hours per week during your school holidays. Essentially you’re no longer bound to working something like 12 hours a week but you’re still capped at a maximum of roughly 35 hours a week. If that sounds appealing to you, you can check out Season Workers to search for summer jobs.

Your rights when doing Saturday work

To avoid being exploited at weekend jobs, it’s important that you know your rights at work and how much you should be paid. The Mix has loads of articles on worker’s rights and pay here. Remember, there’s a National Minimum Wage that applies to nearly all workers and sets the minimum rate of hourly pay you’re entitled to. Find out more about minimum wage here.

Where to find a Saturday job

When it comes to finding Saturday work or a part-time job, word of mouth is really helpful. Do any of your friends have jobs in a place where there might be vacancies? Do your friends and neighbours know anywhere that might take you on? Has anyone posted anything about job listings on social media? And, if all else fails, you could also look in local papers or shop windows in your area. Or if you’re still at school or college, you could check the notice boards.

If you want to speak to someone about your options in depth, you could call the National Careers Service on 0800 100 900. The helpline offers information on careers and learning as well as confidential advice and practical help.