- 39% of 16–17-year-olds reveal they have turned a passion, hobby or skill into a source of income in the past two years
- Just 15% have had a newspaper round or weekend job, vs 35% of adults at same age
- Four in five teens (80%) want multiple income streams, as over a third (34%) say they would choose entrepreneurship over a secure, well-paid job
- NatWest launches Money Talks by NatWest Thrive, a new campaign helping teens build money confidence as they explore entrepreneurship and new ways of earning
- Joe Baggs, Chunkz and NYK Chazza to headline two-day event sharing practical advice, honest insights and real-life lessons on turning passions into opportunities
15th September, London: The traditional teenage job is giving way to a new generation of entrepreneurship based on side hustles and small businesses, as 39% of 16–17-year-olds reveal they have turned their passions and skills into income within the past two years, according to new research from NatWest Thrive, NatWest's financial education and future skills programme.
Paper rounds and shop shifts are falling out of favour, with just 15% of teens having earned money through a traditional weekend job, compared with 35% of adults at the same age. Meanwhile, those who have successfully earned from a hobby, passion or skill have made an average of £389.
This shift is already influencing how young people spend their time. Among those who are earning, have previously earned, or are actively trying to earn money from their interests, the average time invested is seven hours a week, with one in five (21%) currently generating income from a passion, hobby or skill.
More than one in five (22%) have earned money from a skill or hobby such as sport, gaming, music or art, while almost one in five (19%) have bought items specifically to resell for profit. More than half (56%) have also made extra cash by selling things they no longer wanted.
More broadly, entrepreneurial ambition is widespread, with nine in ten (91%) teenagers saying they have made money, tried to make money, or would like to make money from a hobby, passion or personal skill.
For many, these early experiments with earning appear to be shaping bigger ambitions for the future, as over a third (34%) of teens would choose entrepreneurship over a secure, well-paid job. Four in five (80%) ideally want at least two different sources of income, with 34% set on three or more sources of income, suggesting teenagers increasingly associate financial security with creating opportunities of their own rather than relying on a single salary.
As entrepreneurship, side hustles and passion-led earning become a bigger part of how young people expect to work, NatWest is launching Money Talks by NatWest Thrive, a new campaign helping 16–17-year-olds navigate the money decisions that come with building income outside a traditional salary, with practical guidance and honest experiences from people who have done it themselves.
The growing appeal of entrepreneurship is being driven by a desire for greater control over the future, with 42% of teenagers citing this as a key reason for wanting to start a business or side hustle. Others are inspired by seeing young people make money online (28%), while over a fifth (23%) are attracted by the ability to start something online relatively cheaply.
AI is also helping to fuel this trend. More than one in three (35%) teenagers are already using the technology to generate business or side-hustle ideas, while one in seven (14%) say advances in AI have made entrepreneurship a more attractive option.
But there is a reality gap. 41% say business and side-hustle content makes success look quicker than it probably is, while more than a third want entrepreneurs to be more open about how long it took to make a profit (37%), the mistakes they made (36%) and how much money they needed to get started (35%).
Those less visible realities will be a central focus of Money Talks by NatWest Thrive, which launches with an immersive two-day live experience in London, bringing young people together with well-known faces to hear first-hand about what sits behind building income in different ways.
Content creator, broadcaster and former Gogglebox star Joe Baggs is fronting the campaign, drawing on his own experience to inspire young people exploring different ways to work and earn, while also helping curate the two-day event with NatWest Thrive.
Timed for the return from the summer break, the campaign focuses on 16–17-year-olds as they begin making decisions about further education, careers and how they want to work in future. The event will also feature sessions with NYK Chazza, Chunkz, Alize Demange, Jake and Shae Unfiltered as well as Team GB including Lola Tambling (Skateboarding), Beth Shriever & Kieran Reilly (BMX).
Joe Baggs commented, “When I started out, I had to learn a lot about money as I went, and that’s often the part you don’t see behind the success stories. Money skills matter whatever route you take, and having that knowledge early can make a real difference. That’s why I wanted to get involved with Money Talks by NatWest Thrive, to help young people feel better equipped for the choices ahead.”
The Money Talks by NatWest Thrive event is the first in a planned national rollout, with a creator-led digital series taking the voices, stories and practical advice to young people across the UK.
Reaching almost nine in ten secondary schools and youth organisations across the UK, NatWest Thrive supports young people through teacher and youth worker-led learning, alongside a comprehensive library of free resources for parents and carers covering everything from managing money and investing to digital safety and careers. New entrepreneurship resources will launch later this year to reflect growing interest in side hustles, self-employment and new ways of earning.
Emily Fuller, Head of NatWest Thrive, said: “Young people are thinking differently about how they want to work and earn, and financial education needs to keep pace. Through NatWest Thrive, we’re helping them build the money skills they need to make informed decisions, whatever path they choose. Money Talks by NatWest Thrive builds on that support, giving 16–17-year-olds practical guidance and honest insight into the financial realities behind entrepreneurship, side hustles and earning from their passions.”
Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Rt Hon Lucy Rigby KC MP, said: “Young people sharing their experiences of earning money with others who want to do the same will be invaluable – helping make sure more young adults have the practical skills they need, as well as understanding the realities of what it takes to get something off the ground.”
Find out more about Money Talks by NatWest Thrive, explore resources and learn about the event here: Money Talks.
Editor's notes
Research for NatWest surveyed 2,077 UK respondents, comprising 1,000 16- and 17-year-olds and 1,077 adults aged 18+.
For more information or to speak to a spokesperson contact: natwestthrive@golin.com
About Money Talks by NatWest Thrive
Money Talks by NatWest Thrive helps young people build money confidence and future skills through honest conversations, practical advice and stories from relatable creators and role models. By starting with the passions, ambitions and interests young people already care about, it makes conversations about money, work and the future feel more relevant and accessible.
Money Talks by NatWest Thrive is a free two-day event for 16-17 year olds bringing together some of the biggest names in content creation, sport and youth culture for a weekend of live talks, interactive experiences and exclusive meet-and-greets, answering the questions teens are really asking about money, work and what's next.
Created by NatWest Thrive, NatWest's financial education programme, the event is designed to help 16-17-year-olds build confidence in their financial futures and curated in partnership with content creator, broadcaster and former Gogglebox star Joe Baggs.
Speaker Schedule:
Saturday 19th September
|
TIME
|
SPEAKER
|
12:45 – 13:15
|
Lola Tambling, Beth Shriever and Keiran Reilly (Team GB)
15 minute talk, 5 minute Q&A
|
13:45 – 14:00
|
Joe Baggs
15 minute talk, 5 minute Q&A
|
14:45 – 15:00
|
Chunkz (Amin Mohammed)
15 minute talk, 5 minute Q&A
|
15:45 – 16:00
|
Alize Demange
15 minute talk, 5 minute Q&A
|
Sunday 20th September
|
TIME
|
SPEAKER
|
12:45 – 13:15
|
Lola Tambling, Beth Shriever and Keiran Reilly (Team GB)
15 minute talk, 5 minute Q&A
|
13:45 – 14:00
|
Joe Baggs
15 minute talk, 5 minute Q&A
|
14:45 – 15:00
|
J and Shae (Jake and Shae Davis)
15 minute talk, 5 minute Q&A
|
15:45 – 16:00
|
NYK Chazza (Charlie Clark)
15 minute talk, 5 minute Q&A
|
For more information see here: Money Talks.
About NatWest Thrive
NatWest Thrive is NatWest’s financial education programme, building money confidence and future skills for the next generation. It reached one million young people in 2025 and is delivered in almost nine in ten secondary schools, as well as through youth clubs and community organisations across the UK.
