Part-Time Jobs in the UK: The Best Roles for Students, Parents, Later Life and Side Income

Good part-time roles in the UK grouped by situation, with typical pay from TonyKnows career data, how pro rata pay works, and the rights every part-time worker has under UK law.

By Tony Musso on Thu Oct 15 2026

Good part-time work in the UK depends on what you need to fit it around. Students do well with retail, tutoring and library shifts. Parents often look for term-time teaching assistant roles or flexible admin and bookkeeping. People in later life suit library, care and tutoring work, and side-income seekers lean on dog walking, delivery, personal training and tutoring.

Pay figures below come from TonyKnows career data and are full-time salaries. Part-time pay is pro rata, so you earn a share of that figure in line with your hours. Part-time workers also have clear legal rights, covered further down.

How pro rata pay works

Pro rata means "in proportion". If a full-time job pays £22,000 for 37.5 hours a week, and you work 15 hours, you work 40% of full-time hours. You would earn 40% of the salary, which is £8,800 a year.

Two things to check in adverts:

• FTE vs actual salary. Many adverts, especially in schools and councils, quote a full-time equivalent (FTE) salary, then an "actual" salary. The actual figure is what you will be paid.
• Term-time only. Term-time contracts pay you for the weeks you work plus your holiday entitlement, usually spread evenly over 12 months. Your monthly pay will be lower than the FTE figure suggests.

Part-time jobs alongside study

Retail is the most common first part-time job. It teaches customer handling and reliability, and there is a progression route: retail store managers earn around £24,000 to £32,000 to start. Tutoring pays well per hour if you are strong in a subject that is in demand, such as maths, English or the sciences.

Part-time jobs alongside childcare

Teaching assistant work is the classic school-hours job. Schools usually need an enhanced DBS check, and a Level 2 or 3 teaching assistant qualification helps, though it is not always required. GP surgeries, dental practices and offices also take part-time receptionists and admin staff, often with morning or afternoon shifts. Bookkeeping suits parents who want a skill that grows into self-employment, and AAT is the usual qualification. Our accounting qualifications guide explains the levels.

Part-time jobs later in life

Care work does not need qualifications to start. You will need a DBS check, and employers train you on the job. It is physically and emotionally demanding, so try a few shifts before committing. Tutoring and mentoring let you turn decades of experience into paid hours, and library assistant roles in councils, universities and schools are often advertised as part-time. If you are stepping down from a full-time career, our guide to low-stress careers that pay well for fewer hours has more ideas.

Part-time jobs for a side income

Personal trainers usually hold Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications and work self-employed, so income depends on how many clients you build. Many delivery drivers are self-employed and paid per drop, which means your hourly earnings vary and you cover your own costs. If you earn from self-employment on the side, check the rules on registering for Self Assessment on GOV.UK. A trading allowance lets small amounts of self-employed income go untaxed, but you should check whether it applies to you.

Your rights as a part-time worker

Part-time workers have the same core rights as full-time staff. These are the ones that matter most.

Equal treatment

The Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 say you must not be treated less favourably than a comparable full-time colleague just because you work part-time, unless the employer can justify it. In practice that covers:

• the same hourly rate of pay
• the same access to pensions, training and promotion
• sick pay, maternity and paternity pay on a pro rata basis
• not being picked first for redundancy because you are part-time

If you think you have been treated less favourably, you can ask your employer in writing to explain why. Acas (or the Labour Relations Agency in Northern Ireland) gives free, confidential advice on next steps.

Holiday pro rata

Most workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year. Part-time workers get the same 5.6 weeks, worked out pro rata. If you work three days a week, that is 16.8 days. Bank holidays can be counted as part of this, so check your contract. If your hours vary week to week, your holiday may build up in a different way. GOV.UK has a holiday entitlement calculator.

Minimum wage per hour

The National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage apply to every hour you work, whether you do 5 hours a week or 50. Working part-time never lets an employer pay you less per hour than the legal minimum for your age. Check the current rates on GOV.UK, as they usually change each April.

Other rights worth knowing

• Pension. If you earn over a set threshold and meet the age rules, your employer must enrol you in a workplace pension. If you earn less, you can usually still ask to join.
• Flexible working. In England, Scotland and Wales, employees can ask to change their hours, including to go part-time, from their first day in a job. Northern Ireland has its own rules.
• Payslips and contracts. You are entitled to a payslip and a written statement of your main terms, just like full-time staff.

How to find good part-time work

1. Decide your fixed hours first. Know exactly which days and times you can work before you apply. It makes applications sharper and interviews easier.
2. Search by contract type. Use "part-time", "term-time" and "job share" as search terms, and check council, school and NHS job sites, which often show hours clearly.
3. Show reliability on your CV. For part-time roles, employers care most about whether you turn up and stay. Our CV builder, CV Studio, helps you present gaps and career breaks in a positive way.
4. Use part-time work to test a career. A few shifts a week is a low-risk way to try a new field. Career Compass can suggest roles that match how you like to work.

Build your CV in CV Studio

Not sure which direction fits? A career test can narrow the field, if you pick one that shows its reasoning.