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UK youth work & pay facts (2026)

The numbers people actually ask for: what you must legally be paid at your age, how many hours you can work under 18, what each apprenticeship level is worth, and how T Levels fit in. Every figure names its official source and the date it applies from.

Last checked by the Shine careers team.

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What is the minimum wage and how many hours can you work at 16 or 17 in the UK?

From 1 April 2026 the UK minimum wage is £8.00 an hour for under-18s and apprentices, £10.85 for 18 to 20 year olds and £12.71 for 21 and over. A 16 or 17 year old must not work more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week, needs a 30-minute break after 4.5 hours, and cannot normally work between 10pm and 6am.

Last reviewed by the Shine careers team.

Minimum pay rates from 1 April 2026

These are the legal minimum hourly rates in the UK. Many employers pay more, especially large retail and hospitality chains.

Working hours rules for 16 and 17 year olds

Once you are past school leaving age but under 18 you are a 'young worker', and the Working Time Regulations 1998 limit your hours.

  • A young worker aged 16 or 17 in the UK must not work more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week.

    Source: Acas — Pay and hours for young workers · Applies from

  • A 16 or 17 year old must get a 30-minute break if their working day is longer than 4.5 hours.

    Source: Acas — Pay and hours for young workers · Applies from

  • A young worker must get 12 hours' rest in any 24-hour period they work, and 48 hours' rest taken together each week.

    Source: Acas — Pay and hours for young workers · Applies from

  • Young workers must not work between 10pm and 6am, or between 11pm and 7am if their contract allows work after 10pm, with narrow exceptions in retail, catering, hospitals, agriculture and newspaper delivery.

    Source: Acas — Pay and hours for young workers · Applies from

  • In England a young person must stay in education or training until 18, which can be college, an apprenticeship, or working or volunteering 20 hours a week alongside part-time study.

    Source: GOV.UK — School leaving age · Applies from

Apprenticeship levels and what they are worth

Apprenticeships are graded by level, and each level maps onto a familiar qualification.

  • A Level 2 intermediate apprenticeship is broadly equivalent to five GCSEs at grades 9 to 4.

    Source: GOV.UK — What qualification levels mean · Applies from

  • A Level 3 advanced apprenticeship is broadly equivalent to two A level passes.

    Source: GOV.UK — What qualification levels mean · Applies from

  • Level 4 and 5 higher apprenticeships sit at the level of a higher national certificate, higher national diploma or foundation degree.

    Source: GOV.UK — What qualification levels mean · Applies from

  • A Level 6 degree apprenticeship awards a full bachelor's degree and a Level 7 apprenticeship a master's degree, with tuition paid by the employer and government rather than the apprentice.

    Source: GOV.UK — Become an apprentice · Applies from

  • You can start an apprenticeship in England from age 16, and there is no upper age limit.

    Source: GOV.UK — Become an apprentice · Applies from

  • An apprenticeship must last at least 12 months and at least 20% of an apprentice's paid hours must be off-the-job training.

    Source: GOV.UK — Become an apprentice · Applies from

T Levels

T Levels are the technical alternative to A levels in England, taken from age 16.

  • A T Level is a two-year technical qualification taken after GCSEs in England and is broadly equivalent in size to three A levels.

    Source: GOV.UK — Introduction of T Levels · Applies from

  • Every T Level includes an industry placement of at least 315 hours, roughly 45 days, with a real employer.

    Source: GOV.UK — Introduction of T Levels · Applies from

  • A T Level graded Distinction* carries 168 UCAS Tariff points, the same as three A* grades at A level.

    Source: UCAS — T Levels · Applies from

  • T Level students are students rather than employees, so unlike apprentices they are not paid a wage.

    Source: GOV.UK — Introduction of T Levels · Applies from

Tax and National Insurance on a first job

Age does not decide whether you pay tax; how much you earn does. These are the 2026/27 figures for employees paid through PAYE.

  • In the 2026/27 tax year you can earn £12,570 before paying any income tax in the UK, whatever your age, because that is the standard Personal Allowance.

    Source: GOV.UK — Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances · Applies from

  • A 16 year old pays income tax only on earnings above £12,570 a year, which is roughly £242 a week, so most part-time and Saturday jobs at 16 are tax-free.

    Source: GOV.UK — Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances · Applies from

  • Employees pay National Insurance from age 16 at 8% on earnings above £242 a week in 2026/27, and nothing below that, while children under 16 pay no National Insurance at all.

    Source: GOV.UK — Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027 · Applies from

  • Apprentices are employees, so they pay income tax and National Insurance on exactly the same thresholds as any other worker: tax above £12,570 a year and National Insurance above £242 a week.

    Source: GOV.UK — Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027 · Applies from

  • If a first payslip shows the emergency tax code 1257L W1, M1 or X, tax was taken as if it were your only income for that week or month; HMRC corrects the code and refunds any overpayment once your employer has your details.

    Source: GOV.UK — Emergency tax codes · Applies from

  • In most of the UK the youngest age a child can do part-time work is 13, with local council rules on hours, and full-time work is only allowed once you reach school leaving age.

    Source: GOV.UK — Child employment · Applies from

What UK workers actually earn

Use these as context, not a target. A first job at 16 to 24 will normally sit well below the all-ages median.

  • Median gross annual earnings for full-time UK employees were £39,039 in April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.

    Source: ONS — Employee earnings in the UK: 2025 · Applies from

  • Median weekly earnings for part-time UK employees were £280 in April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.

    Source: ONS — Employee earnings in the UK: 2025 · Applies from

  • A full-time 37.5-hour week on the 18 to 20 minimum wage of £10.85 an hour comes to about £21,150 a year before tax from April 2026, and about £24,780 on the 21-plus rate of £12.71.

    Source: GOV.UK — National Minimum Wage rates · Applies from

Common questions

What is the minimum wage for a 16 year old in the UK?
From 1 April 2026 the UK minimum wage for workers under 18 is £8.00 an hour. Many employers, especially large supermarkets and chains, pay more than the legal minimum.
What is the apprentice minimum wage in 2026?
The apprentice rate is £8.00 an hour from 1 April 2026. It applies if you are under 19, or 19 and over and in the first year of your apprenticeship. After that first year, apprentices aged 19 or over must be paid the full minimum wage for their age.
How many hours can a 16 or 17 year old work?
A young worker aged 16 or 17 must not work more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week, must get a 30-minute break if the day is longer than 4.5 hours, and must get 12 hours' rest between working days and 48 hours' rest each week.
Can a 17 year old work after 10pm?
Usually not. Young workers must not work between 10pm and 6am, or between 11pm and 7am where the contract allows work after 10pm. Limited exceptions apply in retail, catering, hotels and restaurants, hospitals, agriculture and newspaper delivery.
What is a Level 3 apprenticeship equivalent to?
A Level 3 advanced apprenticeship is broadly equivalent to two A level passes. Level 2 is equivalent to five GCSEs at grades 9 to 4, Levels 4 and 5 to a foundation degree or HND, Level 6 to a bachelor's degree and Level 7 to a master's.
Do T Level students get paid?
No. T Level students are students, not employees, so they are not paid a wage, even during the industry placement of at least 315 hours. Apprentices are employed and paid from day one.

Using these figures?

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