Hi there,

Even when you’re close in age, it’s good to make sure your relationship is safe and healthy. This includes thinking about things like the age of consent. Things don’t suddenly change when someone turns 16 or 18, things can be different legally.

In the UK, the age of consent is 16. This means anyone who’s 16 or over can legally consent to do something sexual with anyone who’s also over 16. Whether your partner is 17 or 18, that’s still the case.

Things like nudes can still be against the law. When someone is under 18, it’s illegal for anyone to have sexual images or videos of them. That includes nudes you send yourself. It’s important to remember that this would be against the law no matter how old your partner is.

When you’re thinking about your relationship, it’s important to remember that the law is there to protect you and not punish you. The police want to protect people who are being hurt or exploited without criminalising people in consenting relationships.

If you’re ever concerned about your relationship, you can get support from Childline any time. Our counsellors are here to help and we’ve got lots of information on healthy relationships.

Take care,

Sam