16 and 17 year olds

Jobs for 16 and 17 year olds

Someo is open from 16. It's built for people with no experience yet, and under-18s get extra protection: only places Someo has verified can find you, and they only ever see your first name.

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Free for people, always. No CV, no experience needed.

Last reviewed November 2026

When can you start work?

In England you can leave school on the last Friday in June if you'll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays. Until you're 18 you then need to do one of these: stay in full-time education, start an apprenticeship, or work or volunteer for 20 hours or more a week while doing part-time education or training.

The rules are different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and stricter if you haven't reached school leaving age yet.

Check the school leaving age on GOV.UK ↗

Your rights at work under 18

No more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week.
A 30 minute break if you work more than four and a half hours.
12 hours off between working days, and normally two days off in a row each week.
Usually no work between 10pm and 6am. In some jobs, like hospitality and retail, you can work until midnight or from 4am in certain cases, but never between midnight and 4am.
At least the National Minimum Wage for your age, and paid holiday.

Read the full rules from Acas ↗

How Someo keeps you safe

You have no public page, and places see your first name only.
Only places Someo has verified can find you, see that you said yes, or message you.
Places see that you're under 18, so they can follow the rules, but never your age or date of birth.
Your contact details stay hidden until you and a place have both said yes.
You can report or block a conversation at any time. Reporting closes it straight away.
For a first meeting, go during opening hours or somewhere public, and bring a parent, carer or friend if you'd like to.

Roles that might not suit you yet

Some work has extra rules under 18. Serving alcohol depends on your council's rules, late-night work is limited, and some jobs with machinery or chemicals need close supervision. If you're not sure, ask the place before you meet.

Open on Someo right now

Places see that you're under 18 before they say yes. Some roles, like bar or late-night work, may not suit under-18s, so ask the place if you're unsure.

Nothing is open this minute. Verified places can still find you and say yes without a role advertised, so it's worth setting up your picture.

Nothing advertised? You can still meet places.

Most places don't advertise until they're desperate. On Someo they don't have to. A place can set up, see who it overlaps with and say yes to you before it has listed anything, and you can tell a place you'd like to work there. When you both say yes, a conversation opens.

Questions people ask

Can a 16 year old get a job?

Yes, once you've reached school leaving age. In England you also need to stay in some education or training until 18, which can be part-time alongside work.

How many hours can a 16 or 17 year old work?

Usually no more than 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, with rest breaks and no work late at night in most jobs.

Is Someo safe for under-18s?

Under-18s have no public page, only verified places can reach them, places see a first name only, and every conversation can be reported or blocked at any time.

Do I need experience or a CV?

No. Someo is built for people who haven't worked yet. You chat about yourself instead.

Is it free?

Yes, always, for people.

Somewhere needs someone like you.

Five to ten questions about you, and you're ready to be introduced. Free, always.

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