Earning extra money online is easy for most teenagers in the United Kingdom, especially if they have digital skills and are over 18. Advancements in technology, internet speed, and overall internet access have opened up a whole new world for students hoping to make a little pocket money or save up for university.
According to a 2019 study published at Inc, most of the world’s freelancers are in Europe. More than half of all freelancers in the world are under 30 years old. This is why experience that shows you have been working online jobs from a young age looks great on a resume.
This article details some of the many employment opportunities available for teens online and models for making money as a teenage entrepreneur. You will also find out about the lawful employment of teenagers in the UK and the obstacles they may face when it comes to getting paid.
UK Teens Face Important Verification and Payout Issues
Before investing equipment and internet costs to work online, make sure that you are eligible to make money as a teenager. Many online employers won’t hire you or pay you if you are not 18 years of age or older.
Lying about your age to work online may backfire as online employers are subject to the employment laws of your country. If your work-at-home employer uses Payoneer or Paypal to make payouts, you may be too young to use the platform.
You must be over 18 years old to be able to register for online third-party payment platforms. You will be asked to authorize a bank account registered in your name and provide proof of your identity, such as a credit card, before registering.
This means that teenagers may have to settle for having money wired or email transferred to them if that is even an option offered by the online employer. You might also have to wait for a check to be mailed to you, which can take three months or more in some cases.
One way to handle this issue is to ask the employer outright about payment options. If you are under the age of 18, some may offer the option of having a parent or third party accept the money to their bank account on your behalf.
Ways for UK Teens to Get Paid Online
Here is a fairly comprehensive list of the payment months that online employers use to pay freelancers online. Register for as many as you legally can so that potential employers have options for paying you.
Transferwise Payment Options
Transferwise is a newer payment platform that has been around since 2011. It’s popular with remote workers and freelancers that work in the London, UK area. Transfer fees are generally 1% and arrive within 10 hours for an ACH transfer, 12 hours for a Swift transfer, and 36 hours for a bank transfer.
Paypal Online Payments
Unfortunately, you may not be able to make this payment method work for you unless you can prove you are over 18 years of age. Paypal is the brainchild of Elon Musk and one of the most popular payment platforms globally, operating in 200 countries. Unfortunately, the fees for receiving money through your Paypal account are high at 2.9%.
Payoneer Digital Payments
Payoneer demands verification that you are 18 years old. You are mailed a debit card. Funds are downloaded onto the card every time you are paid.
Payoneer is offered in 200 countries around the world and is good for freelancers planning to work online globally. There is a 3% fee for each transaction, but funds are also available within two to six hours.
ACH Finance payments
ACH stands for Automated Clearing House. You can only be paid this way if you have an American Bank account. The money sender is usually charged a fee that is often deducted from your paycheck.
Most UK teens don’t have an American bank account, but this might be an option for you if you have dual US/UK citizenship. Usually, it takes 2 to 3 days to be paid.
Paper Check Payments
If you are under 18, this might be the only way to get paid. Many big online employers mail checks, but it can take weeks to get your money. There is also the risk of the check being lost, damaged, or stolen.
At the end of the day, the freelance payment method that is going to be best for a teenager is the one that will allow you to be verified.
UK Labour Laws for Teens
In the UK, children may not start working until they are 13 years of age unless they are in the performing arts. In that case, a child performing on a digital medium such as a Youtube channel might be able to work as long as it is less than 20 hours a week and if it is under adult supervision.
Here are the UK Labour Laws that apply to teens.
- If you are 13 to 14 years old, you can work a maximum of 5 hours on weekdays and Saturdays and a maximum of 2 hours on Sundays. During school holidays, a 15 to 16-year-old can only work a maximum of 35 hours a week.
- In England, you can work at 16 as long as you stay in school and spend 20 hours or more per week in an apprenticeship or training program.
- In Scotland, you can begin working at 16 as long as you leave school after May 31 of that year. In Wales, you can leave school to work on the last Friday in June as long as you are 16.
- In Northern Ireland, you can leave school to make money if you turn 16 before the 30th of June.
The Ideal Remote Worker Set Up
Before you join the UK workforce by becoming a remote worker, there are several things that you need to have in place so that you can start earning money.
Some of the basic requirements to work remotely are:
- A quiet place to work with efficient internet, whether in your home or somewhere else.
- High-speed internet.
- A laptop or desktop computer loaded with Microsoft Office and Google Office.
- A mobile phone with a data plan large enough to download popular apps that employers communicate with such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Zoom.
- A cell phone plan that enables clients from other countries to call you.
- A comfortable, ergonomic office chair.
- A microphone and earphones if your job requires broadcasting.
- A phone with a landline, if your job requires the mixed-use of a desk computer and clients.
- An online calendar to keep track of your schedule
Keep in mind that not all jobs require most of this equipment to be on hand. Perhaps the most important is having a strong internet connection, as that is your very lifeline as an online worker.
13 Skills Required to Be A Remote Worker
To make money online, you need some very basic skills, or you could be laid off quite quickly. You also need these skills if you plan to be an entrepreneur or open your own online business.
- Basic computer knowledge, including how to operate all the hardware and software that you own, is necessary for making money online.
- You should be familiar with your computer’s operating system (Mac OSX or Windows).
- You should know basic applications such as WordPad, MS Word Office, Google Office, Skype, Zoom, Slack, and Trello.
- You should have at least two browsers downloaded on computers, such as Chrome and Firefox.
- You need to know how to use the internet, watch videos and communicate by email.
- If you ghostwrite content, it is helpful to familiarise yourself with blogs and platforms such as Blogger and WordPress.
- Often familiarity with image creation and video editing tools is required, such as MSPaint, Picasa, Instagram, but ideally Adobe Photoshop.
- Good typing skills.
- Transcription skills.
- Good grammar skills and a download of a grammar checking program such as Grammarly.
- Translation skills are almost always in demand on sites such as Upwork and Guru.
- The ability to research without plagiarising and a plagiarism checker program such as Copyscape.
- The ability to find and edit royalty-free images for a client using such sites as Pixabay and Flickr.
The more of these skills that you have, the more employable you will be in the future. So, even if you can’t be hired right away because of an age limit on a payment platform, it is a great idea for you to go to take as many online courses in digital literacy, e-commerce, and social media know-how as you can.
Easy Online Jobs for Teens in the UK
Below is a list of jobs that teens can do online that require very few professional skills. These jobs may allow you to work as often as you want and keep your own schedule. Keep in mind that the easier the online job is, the lower the pay is.
Data Entry
Most data entry jobs require that you be a fast and accurate typist. In some instances, you may be required to fill data into a sheet, so it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with Excel before applying for this type of job. You might be paid by the hour or by the entry.
Freelance Writing and Editing
These are lower-paying gigs, but they are worth it if you are a fast, competent writer or editor. Freelance writing requires proficiency with grammar and spelling, research skills, and sometimes, familiarity with posting blogs on formats such as WordPress.
You can also get freelance work as an editor or proofreader, but this requires a meticulous eye and the ability to restructure and format essays, blogs, articles, and ebooks. If you don’t get high marks in English, you might find this job difficult.
Transcriptionist
Transcriptionist jobs are easy for people who are fast typists.
You may have to take a typing test from the employer to make sure that you are up to speed before you are offered a job. It requires that you listen to audio recordings, which may be scientific, literary, or commercial, and type them into a written document.
A transcriptionist needs to have earphones, great language skills, and often a knowledge of technical terms. You also need to know how to open digital audio files and how to pause and rewind them.
Taking Online Surveys
Survey taking can be a way for a teen to make money, but you have to keep at it or you will never get a payout. You don’t have a boss or paycheck. You complete surveys, and you are paid as you go.
This is one of those positions where you get as much as you put into it, and some pay in discount coupons rather than cash. Many sites also have a payment threshold as high as $100 before they payout.
To get this type of job, you need to register yourself on the survey site and verify your age and payment method. You can find this type of survey site on Facebook Marketplace.
Not all survey sites allow participants below the age of 18, and most pay through Paypal, which also does not allow users below the age of 18 to offer their valued opinions.
Playing Online Games
You can make money online playing games but it is a very slow-going process. However, if you are not eligible to work at any other kind of payouts, the bit of spare cash and coupons offered on some gaming sites might make it all worth it.
Sites that offer rewards and cash payouts for gaming include:
- Swagbucks, which pays you for downloading the app on your phone and playing games.
- Mist Play Games gives you credits for every minute you play, resulting in rewards.
- Cash Em All offers real money for playing games on their phone.
- Coin Dozer offers you a chance to play a digital arcade game to win money.
Keep in mind that to make money online from gaming, you have to meet the site’s age limits and have a payment platform.
Skilled Online Jobs for Teens in The UK
If you want to get a regularly issued real paycheck every week, then the following skilled positions qualify as some of the best online jobs for teens in 2022.
Online Customer Service
If you have great interpersonal skills and can communicate well, you can easily make money at a customer service job. These jobs are generally less flexible and require you to be at your desk for a scheduled shift.
Working in customer service requires the ability to follow complicated briefs and phone scripts and great interpersonal skills. Rigorous training enables you to answer the questions of people contacting you through chat or phone.
New employees generally find themselves fielding calls first by sending them to the appropriate department for help. You might also help customers with easy technical problems, refunds, or complaints.
Tech Support
If you know a lot about technology or IT, you are in luck. Individuals working in tech or internet support make more money than students working at other jobs.
Do this job well, and you can be easily promoted, as technical experts are very much in demand. Duties include troubleshooting technical issues and rectifying faults.
Graphic Design
If you are a highly creative person with all of the latest design software, you can earn high wages as a graphic designer. The demand for retouching photos, creating logos, and preparing visuals is high. Introduce your talents to clients with an online portfolio and start making money online.
Social Media Manager
Social media marketing managers are much sought after in this world where doing business online is more proper than ever. If you know your way around social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, you may enjoy this position.
In general, social media managers help their clients develop social media strategies and create attractive, eye-catching content. This is a good job for those who love to follow the news and have a great visual sense.
Virtual Assistant
If you have what it takes to be a virtual assistant, you will be very pleased with the extra money you can make online, especially if you take on a couple of clients at once.
This type of remote job requires you to follow a set schedule and be familiar with the latest remote software and apps. You will be answering phone calls and emails and scheduling meetings on a shared calendar.
Other administrative duties you will be performing include arranging for travel tickets and accommodations, organizing contact lists, and composing emails.
Online Private Tutoring
You can make good money through online tutoring. This job is best suited to those who have a chat room application, such as Zoom or WhatsApp, installed and those above average academically in their field.
The job entails helping students stay on track with deadlines and coaching them just before a big exam. It is also a good way to make more money than if you were working at a part-time job.
Translator
If you speak multiple languages, be prepared to make a decent income online. Translation services include translating audio or digital files from one language to another and proofreading already translated documents.
One of the more interesting things you might be asked to do is appear as a live translator in a zoom meeting. You could also be asked to provide a side chat text during a live broadcast.
The Pros and Cons of Online Jobs for Teens
Although working online at home seems like an amazing idea, it does have its perks as well as its drawbacks. Here are some things to keep in mind before you commit yourself to stare at a computer full time.
Pros
- You can work from anywhere with some jobs.
- You can work abroad in most cases.
- Hours can be flexible.
- If you have the right skills, you can make a realistic sum.
Cons
- You must be 18 or older to work in many positions.
- Low pay for some online jobs.
- Working long hours is possible.
- Loneliness is a possibility.
Making Money Online As A Teenager 2022 Summary
Teenagers are quite vulnerable to scammers as they seek ways to make money remotely. The most important thing to remember is that you should never have to pay to apply for a job or use your cash to view a job listing.
In general, the more casual the online money-making scheme is, the less likely it is to pay out decent pocket money. However, if you aim for financial freedom, be prepared to sit in a real office tricked out with all needed software and hardware and work as many hours as you can handle. This will allow you to make a realistic sum of money every week, rather than just a pittance.
So will you be able to pay off your parent’s mortgage, fatten your own bank account and generate more passive income streams? Chances are if you start to make money as a teenager by working online, you might be able to retire by age 30. Now, that’s success without college!
