Teenage son and jobs

TimC2023

My teenage son (15 just turned 16) for the last two years has had a paper round. It's £20 cash on a friday. About 5 months ago he got a job working one shift a week in a pub kitchen.
I've just found out he's getting taxed 25% for the pub job because he has 'a second job'.

Should a £20 paper round count as a job. It's cash work and so I'm confused by it and what is right for the pub to be taxing him.

Any advice would be appreciated.

OutdoorQueen

If his earnings are under the Personal Allowance then I would have thought no tax is payable.  

This might help: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/work/employment/pay-and-tax-when-working-in-more-than-one-job

However, sorry to be the bearer of bad news but according to this document, children are not allowed to work in a commercial kitchen see FAQ 4 and 5:  https://www.nncee.org.uk/page/489/faqs#:~:text=FAQ%205%20%2D%20Can%20children%20work,and%20only%20doing%20light%20work.

Document published by The National Network for Children in Employment and Entertainment (NNCEE). 

Emmia

OutdoorQueen said:

If his earnings are under the Personal Allowance then I would have thought no tax is payable.  

This might help: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/work/employment/pay-and-tax-when-working-in-more-than-one-job

However, sorry to be the bearer of bad news but according to this document, children are not allowed to work in a commercial kitchen see FAQ 4 and 5:  https://www.nncee.org.uk/page/489/faqs#:~:text=FAQ%205%20%2D%20Can%20children%20work,and%20only%20doing%20light%20work.

Document published by The National Network for Children in Employment and Entertainment (NNCEE). 

The OPs son is 16, so depending on when he turned 16 according to the website you linked to, it may be fine for him to be working in the kitchen, the child employment legislation doesn't apply as he's not a child.

la531983

What tax code is on his payslips from the pub?
I assume the paper round is essentially cash in hand?

25% is not a tax bracket as far as I know. Something stinks here. 

maisie_cat

Emmia said:

OutdoorQueen said:

If his earnings are under the Personal Allowance then I would have thought no tax is payable.  

This might help: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/work/employment/pay-and-tax-when-working-in-more-than-one-job

However, sorry to be the bearer of bad news but according to this document, children are not allowed to work in a commercial kitchen see FAQ 4 and 5:  https://www.nncee.org.uk/page/489/faqs#:~:text=FAQ%205%20%2D%20Can%20children%20work,and%20only%20doing%20light%20work.

Document published by The National Network for Children in Employment and Entertainment (NNCEE). 

The OPs son is 16, so depending on when he turned 16 according to the website you linked to, it may be fine for him to be working in the kitchen, the child employment legislation doesn't apply as he's not a child.

In England they are a child until they reach their 18th birthday

Emmia

maisie_cat said:

Emmia said:

OutdoorQueen said:

If his earnings are under the Personal Allowance then I would have thought no tax is payable.  

This might help: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/work/employment/pay-and-tax-when-working-in-more-than-one-job

However, sorry to be the bearer of bad news but according to this document, children are not allowed to work in a commercial kitchen see FAQ 4 and 5:  https://www.nncee.org.uk/page/489/faqs#:~:text=FAQ%205%20%2D%20Can%20children%20work,and%20only%20doing%20light%20work.

Document published by The National Network for Children in Employment and Entertainment (NNCEE). 

The OPs son is 16, so depending on when he turned 16 according to the website you linked to, it may be fine for him to be working in the kitchen, the child employment legislation doesn't apply as he's not a child.

In England they are a child until they reach their 18th birthday

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ 1 - At what age can school age children work?

Child employment legislation applies to children aged 13 to the end of compulsary school education (approximately 16 years of age).

In England and Wales a child ceases to be of compulsary school age on the last Friday of June in the academic year in which they turn 16. 

In Scotland a child ceases to be of compulsary school age on the 31st May in the year they turn 16, if they turn turn 16 between 1st March and 30st September. If they turn 16 between 1st October and the end of February they cease compulsary school age at the start of the Christmas holidays in that school year.

For the purposes of employment (aside from selling restricted products like alcohol) the OPs son is not a child.

la531983

I suspect the pub is taking the money themselves and claiming it's tax, when it isn't. 

TimC2023

TimC2023 said:

My teenage son (15 just turned 16) for the last two years has had a paper round. It's £20 cash on a friday. About 5 months ago he got a job working one shift a week in a pub kitchen.
I've just found out he's getting taxed 25% for the pub job because he has 'a second job'.

Should a £20 paper round count as a job. It's cash work and so I'm confused by it and what is right for the pub to be taxing him.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Pot washing in a pub kitchen. Sorry should have been clearer.

I'll check his tax code.

My question more is whether a paper round really is classed as a second job. If for instance he did two different pot wash jobs or two jobs that where 'full employment I wouldn't argue, but I can't see a paper round as full employment if that makes sense.

stu12345_2

I've never known a paper round ever be a job ,it's cash in hand for teenagers,I had 2 when I was a teenager before I started real work with contracts and wages slips and tax codes etc.
and you said the paper round is cash work,so nothing is going through the books.
I expect your son is on an emergency tax code cos the kitchen job  is his first proper through the books job.

and who told him the BR code was because of the "second job" I doubt it was the hmrc

you get a BR code if you don't have a P45 or fill in a p46, I think your son hasn't done any of these, hence the HMRC knows nothing of your son's real employment history ,which is no real  official through the books employment history.

Grumpy_chap

TimC2023 said:

My teenage son (15 just turned 16) for the last two years has had a paper round. It's £20 cash on a friday. About 5 months ago he got a job working one shift a week in a pub kitchen.
I've just found out he's getting taxed 25% for the pub job because he has 'a second job'.

Should a £20 paper round count as a job. It's cash work and so I'm confused by it and what is right for the pub to be taxing him.

Any advice would be appreciated.

If his total earnings exceed the personal allowance, then income tax and NI are correctly due.  That would include salary from the paper round and from the kitchen work combined.  The comments about "paper round not being a job" are incomplete - I suspect the majority of people with a paper round have no other income so never reach the tax threshold.

The tax code at the pub is probably because they asked your son to complete a "New Starter Checklist" and selected "Statement C" (I have another job) so resulted in a BR tax code. 
Is he being taxed 25% (that is an unusual rate)
or are there total deductions of 25%
or is the 25% of the amount he receives and not the gross?  (20% tax on £100 gross leaves £80 nett.  £20 is 25% of £80 but does not make the tax rate 25%.)
or, is the 25% a rounded figure for ease?

housebuyer143

Check his tax code and then contact the employer to resolve first and foremost. Falling that contact HMRC to correct it. 
Any tax over paid though will be refunded to him via his payslip or can be claimed at the end of the tax year by contacting HMRC.