Your rights when working

Everyone has rights at work. These include things like

• Having a contract of employment
• Having set hours and time off
• Having rates of pay

Find out more: Check out the government website to find out more about your employee rights.  

Rights for younger workers

There are extra rules to protect younger workers. There also some jobs (for example driving jobs) where you will need to be older. 

If you are 16-17 you have extra rights including:

• Not work between 10pm-6am (with some exceptions)
• One hour of rest when working over 4 hours
• Time off for study or training, paid at the normal hourly rate

Crucial: If you are over 18, adult employment rights apply.

If you’re an apprentice, you are entitled to:

• A written contract of employment
• A safe working environment
• Time off to study or for training

You can visit the Become an Apprentice website to find out all you need to know about becoming an apprentice. 

If you are pregnant:

If you are pregnant you have extra rights. You can find all your rights on the government website.

Take Action: Find out more about health, childcare, and relationships in the Young Parents section.

National Insurance (NI)

Just before you turn 16, you’ll will receive your National Insurance number. When you work you will pay National Insurance contributions which builds up your entitlement to state benefits, including the State Pension.

Take action: Find out more about National Insurance from the government website.

Tax

Tax is usually taken out of your wages automatically once you earn above a certain amount. If your earnings change during the year, you can claim tax back at the end of the tax year.

Find out more: Check out the GOV.UK site for more information on tax rates.

Pensions

A pension provides an income after you retire. Most workplaces offer pension schemes, where the employer, the employee and the government all contribute money.

Take action: Find out more about pensions from the Money Helper.