Your rights

Under 16

When you're under 16, your parents or carers have a responsibility to keep you safe. That means that you can't decide to move out and your parents can't ask you to leave.

If you leave home without your parents' or carers' permission, the police have the right to take you home if it's safe to.

Find out more about what to do if you're thinking about running away or leaving home.

Aged 16-17

You can leave home without your parents' or carers' permission. Or they can ask you to leave. But it's important to think carefully before deciding to move out and leave home.

If you become homeless and you're 16 or 17 years old, you may be entitled to help with money, housing, education, training and support from social services.

Although you can't usually rent a home or claim benefits before the age of 18, there are exceptions. Your local council or a housing advisor will be able to tell you about housing support for under 18s.

18 and over

After you turn 18, you can rent your own house or flat and get a mortgage if you have enough money.

If you're made homeless, you may be able to get support. Find out more on what to do if you're made homeless.

At any age

If you feel unsafe at home or because you've had to leave, you can call 999 or go to a police station for immediate support.

England

You must stay in some type of education or training until the end of the academic year when you turn 18. This doesn’t only have to be school, it can also be:

• full-time education at college
• an apprenticeship
• part-time education or training (as well as being employed, self-employed or volunteering for 20 hours or more a week).

Northern Ireland

If you turn 16 during the school year (between 1 September and 1 July) you can leave school after 30 June.

If you turn 16 between 2 July and 31 August you can't leave school until 30 June the following year.

Scotland

If you turn 16 between 1 March and 30 September you can leave school after 31 May of that year. If you turn 16 between 1 October and the end of February you can leave at the start of the Christmas holidays in that school year.

Wales

You can leave school on the last Friday in June, as long as you’ll have turned 16 by the end of that school year’s summer holidays.

Read more about school, college and work.

Money

• Age 11 - you can open your own current account (a type of bank account) but you'll need your parents' permission.
• Age 18 - you can get a credit card or a loan.

Jobseekers Allowance (JSA)

You can claim JSA while you're looking for work. Most of the time, you need to be over 18 to apply, but in special situations you might be able to claim it if you're 16 or 17. Some types of JSA have been replaced with Universal Credit.

Universal Credit 

This replaces lots of different types of benefits. If you're eligible, it's usually paid once a month. Find out more.

Age 16

You can get a licence to drive a moped.

Age 17

You can drive a car with a provisional licence, and an instructor or an adult who is over 21 who meets these criteria. apply for a driving licence to drive a car.

Whatever age you are, you can call 999 at any time if you're in danger or worried about somebody's safety. You also have the right to make a complaint against the police if they've behaved inappropriately.

If you have committed a crime, different countries in the United Kingdom have different rules depending on your age:

England, Northern Ireland and Wales

• Age 10 - You can be arrested and charged with a crime. You can be taken to a youth court, cautioned or given a verbal warning.

Scotland

• Age 8 - You can be arrested and charged with a crime in Scotland, if you're under 12 this will be taken to a Children's Hearing.
• Age 12 - You can be taken to court if you've committed a very serious crime.
• Age 18 - You can be called for jury service. A jury is a group of people who come together just for a court case and decide if the person on trial is guilty or not.

England, Northern Ireland and Wales
You can vote in elections when you're aged 18 or over.

Scotland
You can vote in Scottish elections when you're 16 years old, and in other elections when you're 18.

Wales
You can vote in Welsh elections when you're 16 years old, and in other elections when you're 18.

You can vote in Welsh elections when you're 16 years old, and in other elections when you're 18.

Medical records are details of any illnesses, conditions and treatments you've had. You're usually able to see your medical records when you're 12 or over, as long as your doctor believes that you'll be able to understand what they mean.

If you just want to have a look at your records, you can ask your doctor or nurse and they should be able to help you. If you want to be able to keep your medical records, you'll have to email or write to your hospital to ask.

Sex

Age of consent
The age of consent is 16. That means that it's illegal to have sex with anyone under the age of 16, even if you're under 16 as well. This applies whether you're the same or different genders. It's important to remember that the law is there to protect you, not punish you. Find out more about consent and sex.

It's illegal for a person in a position of trust (like a teacher or youth worker) to have sex with someone under 18 who is their responsibility. Sex without consent is illegal at any age.

Sexting
It's against the law for someone to send or take nude, sexually explicit pictures or videos of someone who's under 18. Find out more about sexting and the law.

Visiting the doctor
You can visit a doctor or sexual health clinic at any age to talk about:

• pregnancy
• abortion
• contraception
• STIs

When you talk about your sexual health, it's usually confidential, even if you're under 16. But if you're worried or you're under 13, ask the medical professional you're seeing whether what you're saying will be kept private.

Getting contraception

You can buy condoms or dental dams at any age. You can also get them for free at sexual health services. The pill and other types of contraception can be prescribed by a doctor or at a sexual health clinic, even if you're under 16.

Find out more about contraception and safe sex.

England and Wales

You can get married or enter a civil partnership (including same-sex marriage) when you’re 18 or over and you’re not already married. It’s against the law to get married when you’re under 18.

Scotland

You can get married or enter a civil partnership (including same-sex marriage) when you’re 16 or over and you’re not already married.

Northern Ireland

You can get married or enter a civil partnership (including same-sex marriage) when you’re 18 or over and you’re not already married. You can also get married or enter a civil partnership when you’re 16-17 with your parents’ or carers’ permission.

Forced Marriage

It's against the law for anyone to force you to marry someone. If you’re worried about this, then we’ve got advice to help.

Alcohol

The law can be complicated when it comes to alcohol, so it's worth knowing what you can and can't do. The general laws are:

• age 14 - you can go to a pub which has a children's certificate, but you can't buy or drink alcohol

• age 16 - you can't buy alcohol, but you can drink wine, beer or cider with a meal in a restaurant if an adult is with you

• age 18 - you can buy alcohol - but remember it's against the law to buy alcohol for anyone under the age of 18.

Smoking

At 18 you can buy tobacco, cigarettes or other smoking products. Smoking cannabis or weed is illegal. Find out more about smoking.

It’s against the law to smoke in public enclosed areas like buses, taxis, pubs and restaurants. It’s also illegal for an adult to smoke in a car with someone who’s under 18.

Vaping

It's illegal to sell e-cigarettes or e-liquids to anyone under the age of 18. You should always ask whether you're allowed to vape in a public place, as it's often banned in places like cafes, cinemas and shopping centres.

Age 13

This is the youngest age you can get a part-time job. Unless you're working in certain areas for example TV, modelling or theatre.

Working full time

You can only start working full time once you're old enough to legally leave school. But you may be able to start working as an apprentice earlier.

Find out more about getting a job.

Pets

You can buy a pet once you're aged 16.

Fireworks

You can buy fireworks from the age of 18. It's illegal to have fireworks in a public place when you're under 18.

Travel

To travel outside of the UK at any age, you'll need a passport. You can get a passport at any age, but to apply for one yourself you'll need to be 16 or over.

Age 18

You can place a bet or buy a National Lottery ticket.

Age 16

You can join the Army with parental consent but you won't be able to go on service until you're 18.