How to Make Money as a Teenager in the UK -

If you want to know how to make money as a teenager in the UK then you’re in the right place. There are loads of reasons why a teenager might want to make some extra money. It could be that they’re saving up for something specific such as the latest games console or the latest hoody. Or, they could just want to earn some money for themselves as extra pocket money. Whatever the reason, I think it’s fantastic that young teenagers want to be proactive and are willing to work hard in order to earn themselves some money.

But for under 18s, it’s not always that easy to just go out and get a job, there are lots of barriers in the way. The laws for under 18s are a little different, they might still go to school or college, or they might not have transport in order to travel to a place of work.

In spite of all that, there are plenty of opportunities for young people wanting to earn money.

When I was a teenager, my first job was working Saturday lunchtimes in a fish & chip shop. I then went on to work in McDonalds before switching paths completely and working in a nursing home. I did this for a few years and even worked some night shifts. I really believe that working these jobs alongside going to sixth form college helped to teach me the value of money and gave me some really important life experience.

So, let’s take a look at how to make money as a teenager in the UK.

The law on working under 18

First of all, it’s important that you understand the law if you’re thinking of earning some money and you’re under the age of 18.

In the UK, teenagers can legally be paid to work from the age of 13 (except for work in TV, modelling or theatre where the rules are slightly different).

The rules change slightly when a teenager hits the age of 16. At this point, they can work up to a maximum of 40 hours per week.

Between the ages of 13 and 16, the following rules apply:

Children cannot work in factories or on industrial sites
Children cannot work during school hours
Children cannot work before 7am or after 7pm
Children cannot work for more than one hour before school
Children must take a one hour break every four hours
Children cannot work in any role that may harm their health or wellbeing
Children must have a solid block of two weeks break from any work and school in any calendar year

Do teenagers need to pay tax and National Insurance?

It might surprise you to learn that all teenagers do need to pay tax, even those that are under the age of 18. But, everybody gets a tax-free allowance which is the amount that you can earn before you have to start paying tax. For the 2022-2023 tax year this was £12,750. So, you can earn £12,750 over the course of a year without paying any tax.

National Insurance works slightly differently and you only start to make contributions once you hit the age of 16. Again, you only need to pay once you start earning above a certain amount. You can find out more about National Insurance contributions on the gov.uk website.

How to make money as a teenager in the UK

There are lots of different ways to make money as a teenager in the UK. We’re going to take a look at some of them including ways to make money online if you’re under 18 and the types of jobs available for under 18s too.

How to make money as a teenager online

The internet provides us with loads of different options for teenagers who want to make extra cash. But there are a few things you need to bear in mind before you get started.

Generally, in order to make money online, all you need is a decent internet connection and a device that you can use for internet access. I’m sure that pretty much every teenager in the UK already has both of these.

Online Safety

Keeping yourself safe when you’re online should always be at the forefront of your mind. Here are a few tips:

Don’t share your personal details such as your name and address online
Don’t give out any bank details online
Make sure an adult knows what you’re doing
Don’t share your passwords
Don’t arrange to meet anyone you meet online

PayPal Age Limit

The vast majority of payments from any work you might do online will be made through PayPal. It’s just the nature of the beast and it’s kind of always been that way. The trouble is, if you’re looking at how to make money as a teenager online in the UK, then you probably won’t be able to open your own PayPal account. PayPal do not allow under 18s to open accounts, and it really isn’t worth trying to pretend that you are 18 in order to open an account because they can and will hold onto your money.

The only way to get around this is to ask your parent of guardian who is over 18 to allow you to withdraw money into their PayPal account and then ask them to forward it on to you. PayPal also charge a ridiculous amount in fees which can be incredibly frustrating. Have a read of this post about PayPal fees.

In spite of all that, there are lots of ways for under 18s to make money online, so let’s take a look at some of them.

Get creative and sell online

If you’re crafty or creative and enjoy making things, then you could make a decent amount of money by selling your products online.

Teenagers can choose inexpensive and creative products to sell. You could consider making custom pin badges, which can be worn on clothing or bags as a carry-on item and are a much-needed unique decoration for students. Custom badges can also be sold online, and people are always more interested and attracted to things they have designed themselves.

Etsy

Etsy is an online platform that allows people to sell their homemade and vintage products through their website. All you need to do is register as an Etsy seller and start listing your items. Note that if you’re under 18, you will need to use a parent or guardian’s account in order to list your items for sale as Etsy don’t allow under 18s to register on their platform.

You can sell pretty much anything homemade on there but here are a few popular categories:

Jewellery
Accessories
Printables
Clothing
Shoes
Bags
Toys
Artwork
Homewear

RedBubble

RedBubble works in a different way to other selling platforms. With RedBubble, you upload your artwork and choose which items you’d like to list that artwork on. For example, you could have your artwork available on phone cases, drinks bottles or t-shirts. You can open an account if you are aged 16 and over.

You can also sell your creations locally using Facebook Marketplace and even on eBay too. If you are selling on eBay, just make sure you factor in the listing fee when you’re working out how much to charge for your products.

Sell stock photos

I think this is a lovely addition to this how to make money as a teenager in the UK guide. If you’re a budding photographer, then you can actually make money from your photos.

People will often need to use an image of something they don’t have themselves, for example an image of the Eiffel Tower for an article about Paris, or a picture of a gym for an article about health & fitness. This is when a stock photo comes in really handy.

You can take photos of pretty much anything and be paid for it, but there is a bit of skill involved. You’ll need to be able to take clear photos and you may want to use flat lays or lighting to get brighter images.

Here are a few places you can get paid for your photographs:

Alamy
500px
SmugMug Pro
Shutterstock
iStock Photo
Getty Images
Stocksy
Adobe Stock
Depositphotos

Fiverr

You can sign up to Fiverr if you are aged 13 and over, so it’s perfectly accessible to teenagers.

Fiverr is an online marketplace that allows you to sell your service to people. It works in two different ways. You can advertise a service, and you can also apply for jobs (or Gigs as Fiverr call them).

There are over 300 different categories of gigs, so there is something for everyone. You could apply for writing tasks if that’s your main skill, or logo design work if that’s what you’re good at. Fiverr is great for teenagers studying the iMedia GCSE.

Here are a few of the categories available on Fiverr that might be particularly well-suited for you if you’re trying to figure out how to make money as a teenager in the UK:

Logo Design
Game Art
Graphics for Streamers
Portraits & Caricatures
Cartoons & Comics
Tattoo Design
Packaging & Label Design
Fashion Design
Proofreading & Editing
Voice Over
Photography
Puzzle & Game Creation

Declutter and sell your stuff online

It’s amazing how much “stuff” we accumulate over the years, and teenagers often have lots of clothes and old toys they’ve outgrown hanging around in their bedrooms.

This “stuff” could make you some real money with very little effort. Here are a few things you could sell to make some extra money:

Clothes
Toys
Games
Electronics including mobile phones, tablets & laptops
Furniture
Bikes
Books

Depending on what you’re selling, there are a few different places you can sell your unwanted items:

Car boot sales
Facebook Marketplaces
eBay
Vinted
Depop

Become a Flipper/Reseller

Flipping or reselling as it’s also known is when you sell items on for a profit. Some people make a fortune doing this as their full-time job but you do need to know what kinds of things to buy, where to find them and what kind of profit you’re likely to make in order to be successful.

Resellers buy their products from a number of different places including charity shops, car boot sales and even high street stores when items are on sale.

It’s a good idea to focus on things that you know a lot about. So, for example, you could focus on anime items, video games or even second-hand books.

You can resell on various different platforms including eBay, Facebook Marketplace and even Amazon. Bear in mind though that for both eBay and Amazon you will need to sell with a parent or guardian as they only allow people aged 18 or over to sell on their platforms.

Become a YouTuber

I think most kids dream of becoming a YouTuber at some point or other, I know all three of mine have wanted to do it. If you’re into gaming, then you could easily start creating videos whilst you’re playing and uploading them onto YouTube. You need to be 13 or over in order to create your own channel.

The reality is though that actually making any money from YouTube takes a long time. You need to build up a good bank of videos and a decent following before you can monetise your account. Once you do monetise it, you’ll need the permission of an adult in order to link a Google Adsense account which will allow you to make a passive income from ad revenue.

You can find out more about starting a YouTube channel here.

Twitch

Twitch is a much newer platform than YouTube but it has become a really popular way for gamers to livestream. As with starting a YouTube channel, Twitch isn’t going to make you a millionaire overnight, but it is definitely worth starting out if you’re already gaming anyway.

There are a few different ways that you can earn money from Twitch:

Twitch Bits – virtual currency that can be bought by viewers and donated to you
Monthly subscribers
Twitch Ads
PayPal donation button
Affiliate links
Sponsorships
Selling your own merchandise (obviously you would need to create a large following first)

TikTok

TikTok has become a hugely popular way to make money online and as you only need to be 16 in order to have a TikTok account, then you can earn money as an older teen on the social media platform.

There are a few different ways you can earn money on TikTok:

TikTok creator fund
Sponsorships
TikTok Shop

Blogging

Blogging is my absolute favourite way to make money online. In fact, what started as a hobby for me back in 2016 has now become my full-time job. It is definitely possible to make money blogging no matter how old you are and if you’re wondering how to make money as a teenager in the UK then this should definitely be considered.

Anyone of any age can start a blog and it really is worth starting as early as possible in order to maximise your earning potential.

I love blogging as it has taught me so many skills that I wouldn’t have learned otherwise and it has allowed me to build my own business and work around family life.

Blogging is hard work, and it does take time to create a money-making blog. But, once you get into the swing of it, there’s no reason why you can’t create multiple blogs that all earn you a passive income and allow you to focus on the things you enjoy in life.

21 Buttons

I have only just discovered 21 Buttons but it seems like a great way for teenagers to earn some extra cash.

With the 21 Buttons app, you can upload your outfits and earn money by people clicking on your links and making a purchase. So, it’s a way to make money through affiliate marketing.

InstaGC

InstaGC is a Get Paid To (GPT) site. That means you get paid to do certain tasks online. InstaGC is available to anyone aged 13 years and over so it’s perfect if you’re in that age group and you’re looking at how to make money as a teenager in the UK.

With InstaGC, you complete tasks in order to earn points which you can then use to buy gift cards to use at various retailers including Amazon, Currys and Playstation Plus.

One of the ways you can earn points is simply to watch videos. You can just let the videos play on your device whilst you get on with something else so it’s a great way to earn a kind of passive income without too much effort. You will need to keep the tab open whilst the videos play, so if you want to do other things online then you’ll need to use a separate device.

There are other tasks available too but these vary so it’s worth taking a look for yourself and seeing what works for you.

ySense

This site has been around for quite a while but used to be called Clixsense, so you might have heard of it under that name. With ySense, you can complete surveys and various tasks in order to earn money which you can redeem for all kinds of gift cards or cash out to PayPal.

Slice the Pie

Slice the Pie is one of the sites I used in my very early days of earning money online and I still dip in and out of the site to complete tasks now.

You can sign up to Slice the Pie if you are aged 18 or over so it’s perfect if you’re wondering how to make money as a teenager in the UK.

Slice the Pie pay you to review music, branding and fashion. The tasks are really simple to do but the downside is that there aren’t always that many of them.

For each review, you will need to provide a short written summary of your thoughts along with scoring or rating specific aspects of it too. You can also refer friends to earn more money too. You can withdraw your balance once you hit $10.

Swagbucks

Swagbucks is one of the best known sites that allows you to earn money by completing tasks online. Each task you complete will earn you Swagbucks (SB) which you can then redeem for giftcards such as PayPal, Amazon, Marks & Spencer and Tesco.

There are lots of different types of tasks you can complete:

Surveys
Watching videos
SB for searching the web
Cashback
Playing games

With these kinds of sites, I like the simple tasks that I can just sit and do whilst watching TV in the evenings. I think earning SB by playing games and watching videos is perfect for teenagers looking for how to make money as a teenager in the UK after a busy day at school or college.

You will earn SB for just installing some games on your phone.

Casheo

Casheo works in a similar way to Swagbucks. You will need to complete tasks and watch videos in order to earn points which can then be redeemed for various different vouchers including PayPal, Amazon, Roblox and Shein.

Userlytics

Userlytics is a website that pays you to test out websites. It’s similar to the User Testing website I mention fairly often, but Userlytics allows you to join at 16 whereas you have to be 18 or over for User Testing.

Surveys

Taking surveys isn’t going to make you rich overnight, but if you want something simple to do when you’re sat on the sofa or even in bed, then it’s worth giving surveys a try. Not all survey sites will allow you to sign up if you’re under 18, but there are a few that will:

iPoll

iPoll allows anyone aged 13 and over to sign up for an account and earn money taking surveys.

You can earn money by taking surveys using a web browser as well as using the iPoll app to make money through mini surveys and even by uploading photos or videos.

As with many of these types of sites, you can redeem your money via various giftcards.

Lifepoints

You need to be 14 or older in order to open an account with Lifepoints. Again, you can earn points by successfully completing surveys. You can then redeem your points for giftcards.

Lifepoints used to be known as Global Test Market.

Valued Opinions

You need to be 16 or over to open an account with Valued Opinions and you can expect to make up to £2 per survey (although they do claim that you can earn up to £5 per survey).

Again, you can redeem your accumulated money in various gift cards.

YouGov

YouGov is one of the best known survey sites and you can sign up with them if you are 16 or above.

Once you’ve earned 5,000 points you can redeem them for a £50 transfer to your bank account.

Qmee

Qmee is a free browser and app that allows you to earn money just by searching online. You can also take surveys to boost your earnings too. You need to be at least 16 in order to get started with Qmee.

Sweatcoin

The Sweatcoin app allows you to make a passive income whilst you’re just going about your daily life. The app connects with your mobile phone in order to see the number of steps you’ve done during the day and pays you in Sweatcoins just for moving around. You will earn 1 Sweatcoin for every 1,052 steps you take. This includes a 5% processing deducation.

You can also log in each day to do the Daily Rewards tasks for extra Sweatcoins.

Once you have earned enough coins, you can redeem them for various different rewards.

Sweatcoin is not going to make you much money. But, in my experience as a parent of teens, the rewards you can redeem are pretty good and you may as well have the app installed and just let the coins build up whilst you get on with your everyday life.

Jobs for teenagers

Getting a part-time job is a great way for teenagers to earn extra money as well as life skills that they can take forward into adulthood. Many teenagers will take on jobs in the evenings and at weekends that they can do around school or college as well as seasonal work during the long summer holidays.

There are kinds of different job opportunities for teenagers so I’ve shared just a few here.

Supermarket staff
Cinema staff
Waiter/Waitress
Work as an extra
Become a lifeguard
Newspaper delivery
Lifeguard
Golf caddy
Fast food worker
Glass washer in pubs & bars
Sales assistant
Barista

Seasonal Work

Lots of places take on seasonal workers to help out during busy periods and these jobs can be perfect for teenagers who just want to take on some work whilst they’re out of school or college for the holidays. Some seasonal work will be more readily available during the summer such as theme park staff, whilst other jobs such as retail jobs will be available during the busy Christmas period.

Gardening
Fruit picking
Farm work
Working in a theme park
Working at summer festivals
Retail worker

The great thing about this kind of work is that if you do a good job then you’re likely to be asked back the following year too.

Ways to make money as a teenager without a job

If you’re trying to work out how to make money as a teenager in the UK and you don’t want to take on a job or take on any online side hustles, then there are lots of other options you could try.

Dog Walker/Pet Sitting

This is a great side hustle for teenagers who love spending time with animals. In fact, one of my teenage daughter’s friends does just this. She makes money dog walking and pet sitting and has built up a good customer base and she is only 14. Her Mum advertises for her and she absolutely loves doing this around school.

Pet sitters are often the preferred choice of people going on their holidays rather than putting their dogs or cats in kennels or catteries. They will often want to use a pet sitter regularly in the build up to going away too so that their pet gets used to the new person.

Teaching others how to use technology

Teenagers are amazing at using technology. They’ve been brought up using computers, tablets, games consoles and mobile phones and it’s just second nature to them. This is actually a valuable set of skills that older people would love to be able to learn. Even something as simple as setting poeple up with an email account will be really valuable.

Mystery Shopping

Mystery shopping is when you get paid to go and visit a shop or a venue and check that they’re treating their customers properly. It’s really easy work and you often get to keep whatever you buy (within budget) as well as getting paid too.

The vast majority of mystery shopping companies are only open to over 18s. But, if you’re trying to work out how to make money as a teenager in the UK and you fancy giving this a go, there is one company that specifically want teenagers aged 16-20 (they do also have work for over 20s too).

Serve Legal are a compliance checking company. They use teenagers to check that business owners are adhering to the law. They have work in various places including betting shops, supermarkets and bars.

As with all mystery shopping, you are likely to have access to more work if you live in a busy area such as in a city or a large town.

Babysitting

Babysitting services can be very lucrative if you get regular customers. As long as you like being around children and you’ve got a sensible head on your shoulders, then you could easily take on clients who want you to work for them on a weekly or monthly basis.

I worked as a babysitter for a few families on our estate when I was a teenager. I would usually have work every weekend if I wanted it and the children would mostly be fast asleep in their beds whilst I was allowed to eat snacks and watch TV. I loved it!

Most babysitters will be paid on an hourly basis with a premium for late evenings.

Working as an Extra

Working as an extra for TV and film can be a brilliant career route for those teenagers who would love to carve a career in the television and film industry.

The only issue with this one is that filming can sometimes spread over a few days which can be difficult if you’re still at school or college. But, the money can be pretty impressive at over £100 per day in some cases, so if you can fit it in maybe in the holidays then this could be a great option.

Working as an Extra can be really interesting and give teenagers an insight into what it’s really like to work in front of the cameras. It can also be a way to get close to well known TV and film stars which many teenagers would love to do.

Offer to do odd jobs for the neighbours

If you’re looking for how to make money as a teenager in the UK, then how about doing some odd jobs for your neighbours in order to earn some spare cash. Here are just a few things you could do:

Car washing
Mowing the lawn
Cleaning
Cleaning out animal cages
Cleaning downstairs windows
Walking the dog

Lots of teenagers come up with unique and interesting ways to make money and it just goes to show that if you’re wondering how to make money as a teenager in the UK, whether it’s for yourself or for your teenage child, then there are plenty of options.

If you manage to get a part-time job as a teenager, then I still recommend taking on one of the other money earners I’ve mentioned too. You can easily do things like surveys and online tasks whilst you’re relaxing in your bedroom. I definitely learnt the hard way that it’s always a good idea to have multiple income streams and if you can get this started as a teenager, then you’re setting yourself up for a secure future financially. That way, if one of your income streams stops making you money for any reason, you always have others that you can fall back on.