Decline of the Saturday job

Number of youngsters who take on part-time work falls by a fifth

THE number of children aged 13 to 15 with a Saturday or evening job has fallen by a fifth in the past five years.

New figures show a steady decline in those earning money on the side by doing work such as newspaper rounds or waiting on tables.

Experts said the trend may be the result of teenagers placing more importance on their studies and prioritising homework over paid employment. They say pupils are under pressure to work harder than previous generations because good exam grades are being demanded by an increasing number of employers.

Or it may be that youngsters prefer to stay indoors and go online so don’t need so much money to go out.

The trend has led to concerns that teenagers may be missing out on vital experience that prepares them for the workplace.

According to figures obtained by the BBC, child employment permits issued by councils in the UK have declined steadily between 2012 and 2016. They are required by employers wishing to hire staff between the ages of 13 and 15.

More than 140 local authorities responded to the broadcaster’s Freedom of Information requests, which revealed that 29,498 permits were issued in 2012, compared to just 23,071 in 2016.

Dr Angus Holford, of the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex, said the prestold

‘Good way to learn skills’

sure to do well at school could be to blame for the fall.

‘Teens are told you need to get good GCSEs and A-levels to get a good job in the long term,’ he said. ‘Passing the exams you need is looming larger in people’s concerns.’

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, the BBC it was ‘vital’ young people left themselves enough time for study and rest. But he added: ‘Properly regulated part-time work is a good way of helping young people learn skills they will need in their working lives.’

Changing consumer habits is also thought to be behind the fall in part-time jobs. In Middlesbrough, where the number of permits issued fell to just seven last year, the local council said the ‘massive drop’ was due to a decline in the number of people who had a newspaper delivered.

Norfolk and Dudley, in the West Midlands, were the top areas for children with jobs, the BBC said. Norfolk County Council issued 1,376 permits in 2016, equivalent to 5.2 per cent of children aged 13 to 15, while Dudley Council issued 471 (4.4 per cent of the age group).

Despite teenagers appearing to spurn job opportunities, a separate study shows young people in Britain are among the wealthiest in the world.

The International Youth Foundation charity used data on people aged between 15 and 24 to show young Britons enjoyed high standards of living, ‘near perfect’ education levels, low unemployment and good health.

However, 70 per cent think they will be worse off than their parents and half agreed with the statement ‘my life is too stressful’.