How To Make Money As A Teenager In The UK (Real Ideas That Work)

I’m now at the stage where most of my nieces and nephews are teenagers, with a few already nudging their twenties. Watching them try different ways to earn has been interesting. Some stick to traditional part-time jobs. Others experiment with online work or side hustles. The ones who do best usually combine something reliable with something that builds skills for later.

Before You Start: UK Rules For Teenagers Working

This is important, because the rules in the UK are strict and often misunderstood.

Minimum age to work in the UK

You can do part-time work from age 13. Full-time work is only allowed once you’ve reached minimum school leaving age.

Working hours if you’re under 16

During term time, you can work a maximum of 12 hours per week, including:

• Up to 2 hours on school days and Sundays
• Saturdays: up to 5 hours (age 13–14) or 8 hours (age 15–16)

During school holidays:

• 13–14 year olds: up to 25 hours per week
• 15–16 year olds: up to 35 hours per week

Minimum wage for teenagers

From April 2025, the legal minimum wage is:

• Under 18: £7.55 per hour
• 18–20: £10.00 per hour

If you’re self-employed (for example, tutoring or dog walking), minimum wage doesn’t apply, which is why some teens earn far more per hour working for themselves.

Do Teenagers Pay Tax?

Yes — age doesn’t matter. What matters is how much you earn.

Everyone gets a Personal Allowance, meaning you don’t pay income tax unless you earn over £12,570 per year. Most teenagers won’t hit this, but it’s still worth understanding how it works.

National Insurance is separate and generally only applies once you’re over 16 and earning enough.

The Best Ways For Teenagers To Make Money In The UK

1. Part-Time Jobs

This is the most straightforward option and still one of the best.

Common teenage jobs include:

• Supermarkets (checkouts, shelf stacking, online orders)
• Retail shops
• Cinemas
• Cafés and restaurants

The pay won’t blow your mind, but you gain confidence, customer service skills, and something solid for your CV. I still know people from my first supermarket job, and it taught me far more than I realised at the time.

2. Babysitting

Babysitting is an underrated earner, especially for evenings and weekends.

If you’re responsible and parents trust you, this can become regular work. Pay is often better than people expect, particularly on big nights like New Year’s Eve. A basic first aid course can also help you stand out and charge more.

Find out how much babysitters can earn.

3. Dog Walking And Pet Care

People will happily pay for someone reliable who looks after their pets properly.

Dog walking works well before or after school, and you can increase earnings by offering:

• feeding visits
• holiday pet sitting
• basic grooming (if you actually know what you’re doing)

Low start-up costs make this ideal for teens.

4. Car Washing And Odd Jobs

It might feel old-fashioned, but it still works.

Many people don’t want to clean their own cars or do small garden jobs. If you do a decent job and turn up when you say you will, word spreads quickly.

You can also bundle services together:

• car washing
• window cleaning
• weeding
• basic garden tidying

It’s uncomfortable at first, but the confidence you gain is worth it.

5. Tutoring Younger Students

If you’re strong in subjects like Maths, English, Science, or languages, tutoring is one of the best ways to earn good money per hour.

You don’t need to tutor GCSE students straight away. Helping younger children or foundation-level students is often enough to get started. Parents talk to each other, so one good result can quickly turn into more work.

6. TV And Film Extra Work

This isn’t regular work, but it can pay well for your time.

Days can be long and involve a lot of waiting around, but you’re paid to be there. It’s also something very different from the usual teenage jobs, and the experience alone makes it memorable.

If you fancy trying it, look at my post about how much you can earn and how to become an extra.

7. Buying And Selling

Buying low and selling higher is one of the best ways to learn how money really works.

However, many online marketplaces are 18+, so if you’re under 18 you’ll need to be careful:

• sell locally with a parent or guardian involved
• sell at car boot sales
• use community noticeboards
• always check platform age rules

If you’re selling through someone else’s account, remember they’re legally responsible, not you.