Your Life

At what age can I...?

At any age / At age 10 / At age 12 / At age 13 / At age 14 / At age 16 / At age 17 / At age 18 / At age 19 / At age 21

At any age

You may have access to your health records although access may be refused if it is likely to cause you or any other person harm.

You may have access to your education records, but such information may be withheld if it might cause harm to your physical or mental health or that of another pupil.

You may also have access to information held by social services unless such disclosure would cause serious harm to your physical or mental health or that of another person.

At age 10

You have full criminal responsibility for your actions and can be convicted of a criminal offence.

At age 12

If you are getting a new passport, you must sign it not your parents/carers.

You can buy a pet.

At age 13

If you are in care you can be locked up in a secure unit of a children's home for up to 72 hours, or longer by court order. This could happen if you have a history of running away, or you are likely to injure yourself or others if you are not locked up.

At age 14

You can enter a bar on your own, but can only buy soft drinks.

You can get a 'light-work' part-time job, but there are restrictions.

At age 16

Age of consent (sexual)

The age of consent is the age at which a young person is legally able to understand and agree to consensual sex.

The age of consent for having sex, for heterosexual and homosexual men and women, is 16 in England, Wales and Scotland and 17 in Northern Ireland.

Until you reach this age it is illegal for somebody to have sex with you, however old they may be. Even if both people involved consent to the act, it's automatically deemed a sexual assault.

Why do we have the age of consent?

Although some young people may feel that they are mature enough to engage in a sexual relationship, others may lack the emotional development to deal with this or to feel confident enough to say 'no'. Age of consent laws are there to protect young people from being sexually exploited by adults.

Armed Forces

You may join the Armed Services, with parental consent. If you don’t like it you cannot leave in the first 28 days. After that, at any time during the first 6 months you can leave on 14 days notice. After sixth months, you must serve 4 years.

Transport

You can hold a licence to drive a moped. If you are disabled, you may also hold a licence to drive a car. Vehicles and minimum ages

Education and training

You can leave school on the last Friday of June if you are either 16 by that date or will reach the age of 16 during the summer holidays before the beginning of the next school year. You are still entitled to receive free full-time education.

You have a right to an offer of a training place if you are not in work or full-time education. If you are in work, and have not reached ‘level two’ in your training you have the right to take time off for study or training until you are 17.

Employment

You can work full-time if you have left school, although there are some restrictions on the work you can do. For example, you cannot work in a betting shop or in a bar during opening hours.

Housing

The housing authority has a duty to house you if you are homeless, eligible for assistance, in priority need and did not make yourself intentionally homeless.

The social care services department also has a duty to provide you with accommodation if you are in need and your welfare is likely to be ‘seriously prejudiced’.

Legal issues

If you are convicted of a criminal offence, depending on the seriousness of the offence, the Youth Court can make the following orders under the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000:

  • A probation order over you for up to three years
  • A community service order requiring you to perform unpaid work in the community for between 40 and 2340 hours
  • A combination order, placing you on probation for between one and three years and requiring you to perform community service for between 40 and 100 hours
  • A drug treatment and testing order for up to three years

You can marry with parental consent.

Travel

You can apply for your own passport, but a parent or person caring for you must give written consent.

At age 17

You can join the Royal Navy as an officer with parental consent at 17, the Royal Air Force at 17 years and 6 months, and the Army at 17 years and 9months.

You can donate blood without parental consent.

You can hold a licence to drive a car, small goods vehicle and an agricultural tractor on the road. Vehicles and minimum ages

You can obtain a private pilot’s licence to fly an aeroplane, helicopter, gyroplane, balloon or airship.

You can be interviewed by the police, given a reprimand or a warning without an appropriate adult being present. If you have been charged with an offence and not granted bail, you will be sent to a remand centre or prison.

At age 18

Adoption

If you are adopted, you can apply for a copy of your original birth certificate on application to the Registrar General.

If you are adopted you can apply to have your own name and address put on the Adoption Contact Register.

Alcohol

You can buy and drink alcohol in a bar.

You can apply for a licence to sell alcohol.

Armed Forces

You can join the Armed Forces without parental consent.

Contracts and Property Ownership

You have complete contractual capacity, so you can make binding contracts in your own right.

You can own land, buy a house or flat, hold a tenancy, and apply for a mortgage.

You can act as an executor or administrator of a deceased person’s estate.

You can pawn an article at a pawnshop.

You can hold a licence to drive a medium-sized goods vehicle (maximum 7.5 tonnes). Vehicles and minimum ages

Legal

You can buy fireworks.

You can obtain a commercial pilot’s licence to fly an aeroplane, helicopter, glider, balloon or airship.

You can enter a betting shop and place a bet. You can also work in one.

You can leave home without parental consent.

Criminal charges against you will be dealt with in the adult courts.

You can serve on a jury.

You can be sued and you can sue in your own right.

You can make a will.

You can make an application for legal aid in your own right.

You can get married without parental consent.

You can open a bank account or a Post Office Girobank account without a parent’s signature.

You can donate your body to science, or anatomical study, or donate your body organs without parental permission.

You can vote in general and local elections.

You can be tattooed.

You can apply for a passport without a parent’s/carer’s consent.

You can buy cigarettes, tobacco and cigarette paper.

Medical Treatment

You have to pay for dental treatment and prescriptions unless you are still in full-time education, or pregnant, or certain other circumstances apply.

At age 19

All young people are entitled to free, full-time education up to the age of 19.

If you are in full-time education, you must now pay for dental treatment and prescriptions, but you can apply to be exempt if you have a low income.

At age 21

Adoption

You can adopt a child.

Driving

You can supervise a learner driver if you have held, and still hold, a full licence for that type of motor car for at least three years. Vehicles and minimum ages

Flying

You can obtain a flight navigator’s licence, a flight engineer’s licence or an airline transport pilot’s licence to fly an aeroplane, helicopter or gyroplane.

Legal

If you were ‘looked after’ by the local authority between ages of 16 and 18, the local authority continue to be under a duty to advise and befriend you and in exceptional circumstances, to assist you in cash until you are 24.

Political participation

You can become a Member of Parliament, a local councillor or a local mayor.


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