Category: 3. Business

At the age of 14, Caelan started working part-time in a chip shop in Aberdeen.

He thinks getting a job at such a young age made him more responsible and confident.

“When I joined I was very shy,” he says. “But now I can speak to people easily.”

The laws governing when and where children under 16 can work were introduced in the 1930s to crack down on child labour and safeguard their wellbeing.

Children over 14 could be employed in ‘light work’ but many Scottish council areas require employers to also apply for a permit to take on a child.

Now, plans to change the law could make it easier for under-16s to work part-time.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is currently making its way through the House of Lords with Royal Assent expected in the coming months.

The Scottish Parliament has given legislative consent for the provisions on child employment.

If passed, it would allow teenagers under 16 more flexibility on when they can work.

Caelan is positive about the benefits he gets from being a young worker.

Within a year of getting his job serving fish suppers at the Ashvale in Aberdeen, he says he was able to treat his mum to a holiday in Dubai.

His co-workers Kenzie and Erin both joined the takeaway and restaurant aged 15 and say they have had a similar experience.

Working around school hours gave Kenzie, now 18, the opportunity to save up for a car.

Erin said that although she was “really nervous” when she joined, she now doesn’t “get scared talking to new people” because of her experience dealing with customers.

The new bill looks at all aspects of child protection and safeguarding as well as rules on school attendance.

The section on employment will give young people more opportunity to take on work.

Plans include lifting the two-hour working limit on a Sunday, and allowing work for up to one hour before school and until 20:00 – extending the current limit from 19:00.

Although there is more flexibility on when children can work, the maximum number of hours will remain the same – up to 12 hours on a school week.

The new law will update the rules, which were further complicated by dated local bylaws.

These vary across the UK, with some older than others.

In Dundee, the bylaws from 1973 prohibit working in a ‘coal yard’ or ‘collecting rags’.

In some areas such as Angus and Edinburgh, children as young as 10 can still be employed on an occasional basis in light agricultural or horticultural work under parental supervision.

Others, including Falkirk, had no requirement for permits.

BBC Scotland also found a variation in the number of child employment permits granted by councils.

Freedom of Information responses showed none were issued in 2025 by Clackmannanshire or Inverclyde Councils – while Aberdeen City Council had issued 98.

Most local authority bylaws allow 13-year-olds to be employed in specified types of light work, which could continue.

Dawn Robertson is an employment law specialist at BTO Solicitors in Glasgow. She stressed the importance of safeguarding.

“Children should not be employed in any work that could be harmful to them,” she said.

“I think the most important thing from my perspective is just that the law is not changing on that.

“Children still need to be treated as children, and we have to be very thoughtful and careful about what we do allow them to do in the workplace.”

Dawn said varying council bylaws have make it more difficult for employers to keep track of the law.

“Hopefully after the bill is passed, we’ll be in a position where it’ll actually be a lot easier to give advice across the country to employers about this type of thing,” she said.

“I think that employers generally comply with the rules, as far as they’re aware of them.

“It sounds to me like a very positive approach and a positive development to the employment of children.”

Children under school leaving age are not entitled to the National Minimum Wage, paid holidays or to sick pay. This wouldn’t change.

Stuart Devine is the owner of The Ashvale.

He has employed “hundreds, if not thousands” of children across a 40-year period – and started at the business aged just 15 himself.

He welcomes a potential tweak to the rules.

“It needs looking at because times have moved on,” he said.

“I think it’s important from a business point of view, because obviously there are jobs that young people can fill the gaps. They actually come in generations of families.

“They’re now schoolteachers, nurses, doctors, engineers offshore. I think the employment part has played a vital part in getting them to the next stage.”

A few miles along the road, 15-year-old Harry is starting his evening paper round.

He delivers a few papers before school, more after school – and also works part-time in a chip shop at the weekend.

He says he has no idea what the rules are around when children can and can’t work.

For him, it’s about impressing future universities and employers.

“I think it looks good on CVs and stuff like that and when you’re older and you need to get a proper job,” he told BBC Scotland News.

“In the future, I want to be either a lawyer or work in the stock market.”

Harry would encourage other young people to find work if they can.

“I think if you put yourself out there and you go and constantly speak to any employer at 14, if they’re hiring other 14-year-olds, I think you’ve got a pretty good shot at getting a job there if you’re confident.”

Nicola Killean, Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, was mostly positive about the changes.

She said older children could gain valuable experience, develop their skills, knowledge and sense of independence through employment.

She added: “While we support a change to the law that offers children greater flexibility in employment, we are clear that they must continue to have their rights protected.

“The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which is incorporated into Scots law, emphasises that children must be protected from being exploited and from doing work that is dangerous or could harm their development.

“The UNCRC is also clear that work must not interfere with children’s learning while they are still in education.”

A government minister has agreed a taxpayer-owned five bedroom house with a swimming pool can be sold for £790,000, as it “represents a financial burden to the public”.

Caroldene, on La Rue de la Hauteur, St Helier, is one of dozens of residential units in the Government of Jersey’s property portfolio, which was found in 2021 to have a total market value of more than £1bn.

The house had been placed back on the market for £850,000 after a previous offer of £800,000 fell through, said Minister for Infrastructure, Andy Jehan.

It was described by estate agents Gaudin & Co as a “substantial five-bedroom detached residence” with two bathrooms, a sunroom, and a double garage.

In a ministerial decision, Jehan said the previous offer had been withdrawn by the prospective purchasers in November 2025.

“Following that withdrawal, the agent re-marketed the property,” he said.

“The property was re-listed for sale at £850,000, and a new offer of £790,000 has since been received.

“Given the property’s current condition and the level of investment required to restore it to a habitable standard, this offer is considered to be reasonable.”

Government documents confirmed the States approved the purchase of the building in 1991 for £225,000, “in order that part of the garden might be used to provide improved access to the States Loan development at Le Jardin de la Hauteur”.

They added “the Housing Committee had no use for the accommodation and it was agreed that the property should be handed over to the Defence Committee for use by the Territorial Army” as housing.

Jersey’s quarterly house price index figures do not list the average sale prices of five bedroom homes.

However, the latest report said that the average price of a four bedroom house sold in quarter three 2025 was £1,280,000.

In signing the ministerial decision, Jehan authorised the Attorney General, the Greffier of the States and the director of Jersey Property Holdings to pass and conclude “any contract which is required” on behalf of the public in relation to the sale of the property.

“Each party will be responsible for their own costs,” the document added.

Ministers agreed in July 2025 to dispose of the property, as they considered that it “represents a financial burden to the public”.

A BBC campaign aims to help charities and community groups by organising drop-off points for toiletries and hygiene items to be donated to people who need extra support.

The BBC Radio Solent Soapbox Appeal will collect donations at over 50 drop-off points in Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight across January.

They will then be sent to charities and communities groups who will help distribute them.

The manager of a food bank charity in Bournemouth, which also provides toiletry parcels, said that those suffering from food poverty can struggle to afford to buy their own hygiene essentials.

Donations can include new and unopened toiletries like shampoo and toothpaste, and other cleaning products including washing up liquid, sponges, cloths and tissues.

Last year’s campaign saw thousands of the items donated and distributed.

Ahead of this campaign’s launch, BBC Radio Solent visited Hope for Food, a food bank charity in Bournemouth, which distributes around 150 family food parcels every week, as well as bags of toiletries.

Mary Duncan, the operations manager at the charity, said that since she began volunteering there in 2016, the need from families has “increased hugely”.

“We are getting a huge number of referrals coming in,” said Ms. Duncan.

“Things that most of us take for granted – people who are really struggling will have to find extra money to pay for those things.”

The national charity the Hygiene Bank estimates there are 4.2 million adults in the UK in hygiene poverty.

One survey carried out last year by that charity, along with product distribution charity In Kind Direct, found that 13% of children aged six to 15 in the south of England were living in food poverty.

“The impact on children going to school when they don’t have clean clothes or clean hair…other children might ostracise them,” said Ms. Duncan

“It is very important for your own self-worth that you can keep yourself clean and you can keep your home clean.”

For a list of the drop-off points across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Dorset, visit the BBC Radio Solent Make a Difference page here.

Across the capital, Transport for London (TfL) has a calendar of scheduled works that it says will improve its network. Looking ahead to 2026, there are significant changes and closures planned that could affect passengers and drivers.

Here are details of what they are and when they come into effect.

TfL is introducing changes to the congestion charge scheme in the new year, along with a new Cleaner Vehicle Discount for electric vehicles, and changes to the Residents’ Discount for new applicants.

The standard daily congestion charge will increase from £15 to £18 if paid in advance or on the day of travel. This comes into force on 2 January.

Drivers will pay £21 – compared with the previous rate of £17.50 – if paid within three days after travel.

Congestion Charge Residents’ Discount holders will continue to get a 90% discount and pay the daily fee of £1.80.

The 100% Cleaner Vehicle Discount ends on 25 December 2025, and a tiered system is being introduced.

From 2 January there will be a 25% discount on the daily charge for electric cars registered on Auto Pay. This puts the cost at £13.50.

There will be a 50% discount on the charge for electric vans, HGVs, and quadricycles registered on Auto Pay, making the cost £9.

A new 100% discount will apply to electric car club vehicles that are picked up and returned to the same bay within the congestion charge zone.

From 4 March 2030, the Cleaner Vehicle Discount will drop to a 12.5% discount for electric cars on Auto Pay and a 25% discount for electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles on Auto Pay.

Piccadilly line

TfL is replacing its fleet of 1970s trains on the Piccadilly line, with the ambition of introducing the first of its 94 new trains in 2026.

It said these could be introduced between July and December 2026 and would allow for an increase of three more trains an hour during peak times.

TfL is also carrying out a range of upgrades including improving the line’s power system, adjusting platform edges and track positions and installing new CCTV cameras.

It is planning a range of weekend closures for the works, with disruption anticipated in January, March and April.

Northern line

From 12 January until late spring, trains will not be running between Camden Town and Kennington, via Bank, after 22:00, Mondays to Thursdays, as part of ongoing improvement works to the line, TfL said.

Docklands Light Railway (DLR)

The Cutty Sark station is closed until the spring while all four of its escalators are replaced.

Customers are advised to travel via Greenwich station or local bus services.

TfL is also planning a range of weekend closures between some stations for its DLR upgrade work.

Customers can check before they travel by using the TfL Go app.

The pedestrianisation plans pivot around Sir Sadiq establishing a new mayoral development corporation (MDC), which would give a mayoral body control of the area in terms of planning and development.

So far the plan has been given government and London Assembly backing, and the mayor is working with the government to make the necessary legislation for the MDC to be established by 1 January.

A public consultation opened in November and runs until 16 January.

TfL said, subject to the consultation results, delivery of the scheme could begin in the second half of 2026.

TfL has been working to replace the roundabouts at both ends of Lambeth Bridge with traffic lights.

Structural improvements to the bridge, along with pedestrian and cycle lane improvements, have also been taking place.

TfL said works on the bridge’s new junctions will continue until June, with narrow lanes and occasional night-time closures in place until then.

It estimates the project will be fully complete by summer 2026.

The road improvement scheme on the A23 Streatham Hill is continuing in 2026, with works due to finish in spring 2027.

Protected cycle lanes and dedicated bus lanes in both directions are being created, and lane restrictions in both directions are in place.