national insurance number

[lahdeedah]

Hey hey, does anyone know if a national insurance number is enough to apply for a job or do you have to be 16? I'll be getting mine in December, two months before i'm 16 and i'm hoping to apply for a xmas job but i'm not too sure whether i'll be able to or not without being 16, can anyone help?

[january_bug]

Well, as I underestand it, you won't be paying tax or NI anyway, as you're still in full-time education.  I'm not sure how many people will take you on under 16, but I'm sure you'll get something!

I'd suggest you ring the places you're applying to and ask.  Or, ring the relevant government authority (Revenue & Customs I'd have thought) and ask them to send it early!  But ring them ASAP as they're probably very slow due to lot of bureaucracy and red tape!

[kempie]

Students in fulltime education are subject to the same tax and NI rules as every other worker in the UK.

Tax - payable on income over your personal yearly allowance (�4,895 in 2005-2006), however it need not be deducted on a week-by-week basis (ask your employer for form P38S).
NI - payable on income over �94 per week

However, employment rules applicable to children of compulsory school age (of which you are one) are more strict than for older workers.

Employers must inform the education department of their local council that they have employed a school-aged child. If satisfied with the arrangements, the council will issue the child with an employment permit. A child is not insured without one.

Children may not work:

• without an employment permit issued by the education department of the local council


• in any industrial setting eg factory, industrial site etc


• during school hours


• before 7.00 am or after 7.00 pm


• for more than one hour before school


• for more than four hours without taking a break of at least one hour


• in any occupations prohibited by local by-laws or other legislation eg pubs, betting shops


• in any work that may be harmful to their health, well-being or education


• without having a two week break from any work during the school holidays in each calendar year

During school holidays 15 to 16 year olds may work a maximum of 35 hours per week, of which:

• a maximum of eight hours on weekdays and Saturdays


• a maximum of two hours on Sunday

[january_bug]

I was working on the basis that for a Xmas job, the person is likely to be working:

1. In the holidays


2. In a job that pays below �5000 per year, expecially given that the job will not last more than 1 month.

Of course in 3 weeks at the legal hours, it wouldneed to be �50/hour to reach the �4895 threshold!!! So unless it's a Christmas job as a lawyer or accountant, I don't think there will be problems! :-)

[kempie]

Wasn't having a pop at you jan_bug, but I saw some clarification was required in regard of your first sentence; it could be read as "students in fulltime education do not pay tax and NI" which is manifestly incorrect.

[january_bug]

I know, and I wasn't meaning to have a pop back. I was just working on the basis that anyone under 16, has an obligation to be in full time education (assuming they're not a year ahead and other complications) at this time of year, and therefore the user would be tax exempt unless they earned one HECK of a lot of Xmas tips!!

Mind you, you were right to clarify for future reference! :-)

[Yingying1987]

Its upto the employer you just have to try your luck, i mean well known branded shops might not take you on untill you were 16 such as river island, topshop, boots etc... but smaller places might.

Would you be interested in the catering industry so being a waitress?? i did that last xmas and made loads of money. At that hotel/restaurant there were a couple of under 16s and one started at 14. She had limited hours and wasnt allowed to do night shifts at first or would leave early as she wasnt 16 but because she had been working there for so long they let her work some night shifts occasionaly.

SO some places will take you some won't. Make sure you write a kick ass CV now and send them to as many places as you can and want to work at asap. ASAP because xmas jobs will be going quickly ps working on xmas is triple pay at some places and tips if your a waitress are greeeeeeeat. but waitressing is HARD work i did a whole weekend first time which was from 7 to finish which was like 1: 00am and almost died.