Search Legislation

Children and Young Persons Act 1933

 Help about what version

What Version

  • Latest available (Revised)
  • Original (As enacted)
 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Changes to legislation:

Children and Young Persons Act 1933, Section 18 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 19 March 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.

View outstanding changes

Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:

Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):

18 Restrictions on employment of children.E+W

(1)Subject to the provisions of this section and of any byelaws made thereunder no child shall be employed—

[F1(a)so long as he is under the age of [F2fourteen years]]; or

[F3(aa)to do any work other than light work or;]

(b)before the close of school hours on any day on which he is required to attend school; or

[F4(c)before seven o’clock in the morning or after seven o’clock in the evening or any day; or]

(d)for more than two hours on any day on which he is required to attend school; or

[F5(da)for more than twelve hours in any week in which he is required to attend school; or]

(e)for more than two hours on any Sunday; or

F6(f). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F7(g)for more than eight hours or, if he is under the age of fifteen years, for more than five hours in any day—

(i)on which he is not required to attend school, and

(ii)which is not a Sunday; or

(h)for more than thirty-five hours or, if he is under the age of fifteen years, for more than twenty-five hours in any week in which he is not required to attend school; or

(i)for more than four hours in any day without a rest break of one hour; or

(j)at any time in a year unless at that time he has had, or could still have, during a period in the year in which he is not required to attend school, at least two consecutive weeks without employment.]

(2)A local authority may make byelaws with respect to the employment of children, and any such byelaws may distinguish between children of different ages and sexes and between different localities, trades, occupations and circumstances, and may contain provisions—

(a)authorising—

[F8(i)the employment [F9on an occasional basis] of children [F10aged thirteen years](notwithstanding anything in paragragh (a) of the last foregoing subsection) by their parents or guardians in light agricultural or horticultural work.]

[F11(ia)the employment of children aged thirteen years (notwithstanding anything in paragraph (a) of the last foregoing subsection) in categories of light work specified in the byelaw.]

(ii)the employment of children (notwithstanding anything in paragraph (b) of the last foregoing subsection) for not more than one hour before the commencement of school hours on any day on which they are required to attend school;

(b)prohibiting absolutely the employment of children in any specified occupation;

(c)prescribing—

(i)the age below which children are not to be employed;

(ii)the number of hours in each day, or in each week, for which, and the times of day at which, they may be employed;

(iii)the intervals to be allowed to them for meals and rest;

(iv)the holidays or half-holidays to be allowed to them;

(v)any other conditions to be observed in relation to their employment;

so, however, that no such byelaws shall modify the restrictions contained in the last foregoing subsection save in so far as is expressly permitted by paragraph (a) of this subsection, and any restriction contained in any such byelaws shall have effect in addition to the said restrictions.

[F12(2A)In this section—

  • “light work” means work which, on account of the inherent nature of the tasks which it involves and the particular conditions under which they are performed—

    (a)

    is not likely to be harmful to the safety, health or development of children; and

    (b)

    is not such as to be harmful to their attendance at school or to their participation in work experience in accordance with section 560 of the Education Act 1996 F13, or their capacity to benefit from the instruction received or, as the case may be, the experience gained;

  • “week” means any period of seven consecutive days; and

  • “year”, except in expressions of age, means a period of twelve months beginning with 1st January.]

[F14(3)Nothing in this section, or in any byelaw made under this section, shall prevent a child from [F15doing anything]

(a)under the authority of a licence granted under this Part of this Act; or

(b)in a case where by virtue of section 37(3) of the M1Children and Young Persons Act 1963 no licence under that section is required for him to [F15do it].]

Textual Amendments

F2Words in s. 18(1)(a) substituted (4.8.1998) by S.I. 1998/276, reg. 2(2)(a).

F3S. 18(1)(aa) inserted (4.8.1998) by S.I. 1998/276, reg. 2(2)(b).

F5S. 18(1)(da) inserted (11.10.2000) by S.I. 2000/2548, reg. 2(1)

F6S. 18(1)(f) repealed with specified exceptions (1.1.1993) by S.I. 1992/2793, art. 8, Sch. 2, Pt. I and omitted (4.8.1998) by S.I. 1998/276, reg. 2(2)(c) and repealed (31.12.1998) by virtue of S.I. 1998/2857 art. 1(2)(a).

F9Words in s. 18(2)(a)(i) inserted (4.8.1998) by S.I. 1998/276, reg. 2(3)(a).

F10Words in s. 18(2)(a)(i) substituted (7.6.2000) by S.I. 2000/1333, art. 2(1)

F12S. 18(2A) inserted (4.8.1998) by S.I. 1998/276, reg. 2(4).

F15Words in s. 18(3)(b) substituted (4.8.1998) by S.I. 1998/276, reg. 2(5).

Marginal Citations

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources