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This information applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland
About this information
In this information child means someone aged under 14 and young person means someone aged 14 or over but under 18. Parent means someone with parental responsibility.
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Abortion
Whatever age you are, you have the right to a confidential consultation with a doctor about the possibility of having an abortion, provided you make it clear that you don't want a parent to be told.
If you're under the age of 16, you can have an abortion if two doctors agree that you have good reasons under the abortion laws. You don't need your parent's consent, as long as the doctors believe:
- you understand the decision, and
- it would be in your best interests to have an abortion without your parent's consent.
However, doctors usually prefer the matter to be discussed with your parents and will try to persuade you to do so.
If a doctor has a moral objection to abortion, they should make this clear to you and arrange for you to see someone else who is willing to help.
If you don't want to see your own GP, you can get help from another agency, such as a local family planning centre or a Brook Advisory Centre – see under the heading Further help.
In Northern Ireland, abortions are only available on medical grounds and only in hospitals. However, if a legal abortion is sought in Great Britain, no one has broken the law in Northern Ireland. If you're a young woman under 17 and seeking advice on abortion, agencies such as the Family Planning Association will require one of your parents to attend an interview with you. If you are under 16 and are to have a legal abortion in Great Britain, one of your parents must travel with you.
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Alcohol
It's a criminal offence to give alcohol to a child under five (unless it is given by a doctor on health grounds).
If you're five or over and under 16, there is no legal restriction on you drinking alcohol at home or on other private premises.
It's a criminal offence for someone under 18 to buy alcohol or drink alcohol in a pub. It is also a criminal offence for someone to buy alcohol for someone else if the other person is under 18 and the alcohol is to be drunk in a bar or a pub or in the street.
Anyone working in a pub will be committing a criminal offence if they sell or allow someone under 18 to drink alcohol in a pub. However, they will have a defence if they can prove that they had no reason to suspect that the person was under 18.
If police suspect a young person of possessing alcohol (or something they believe to be alcohol) in a ‘relevant place’, they can confiscate it. A ‘relevant place’ is any public place (except licensed premises) or a place to which someone has gained access unlawfully. The police can also confiscate alcohol (or what they think may be alcohol) from someone of any age if they suspect some of it has been, or is intended to be, drunk by someone under 18 in a 'relevant place'. The police can arrest anyone who tries to prevent them confiscating what they believe to be alcohol.
Pubs, restaurants and hotels in England and Wales
If you're under 14, you aren't normally allowed to go into a pub or other licensed premises where alcohol is sold and consumed during opening hours unless you are the landlord’s child or live on the premises. However, a publican can apply for a children’s certificate that allows children under 14 to be taken into a pub by an adult. Children would normally have to leave by 9pm.
If you're aged 14 or 15, you can go into a pub but cannot buy or drink alcohol there.
If you're aged 16 or 17, you are allowed to drink wine, beer, or cider (but not other alcohol) with a meal in a restaurant or hotel. You can only do this if someone aged 18 or over is with you at the meal and buys the alcohol.
Pubs, restaurants and hotels in Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, if you're under 18 you're allowed to go into a pub which serves food. However, you're not allowed to drink any alcohol, regardless of whether an adult has bought it or not.
You're not allowed to drink alcohol in a restaurant or hotel.
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Blood and organ donation
In England and Wales, you're not allowed to donate blood unless you are considered to have enough understanding of what's involved. In Northern Ireland, a person under the age of 17 isn't allowed to donate blood.
If you're under 18, you can donate your body and organs on death. However, if you're under 16, you need to get your parent's consent to carry a donor card. Parental consent is also required before the organs can be used.
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Body piercing
There are no legal restrictions on the age when you can have your ears or other body parts pierced. However, some establishments may have their own informal guidelines about getting parental consent.
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Cigarettes
It's illegal to sell cigarettes, tobacco or cigarette papers to anyone under 18.
Smoking is banned in all public places and workplaces, whatever your age.
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Contraception
There are no age restrictions on giving contraceptive advice and supplies. As long as you understand the possible risks, a doctor is allowed to prescribe contraception if you're under 16 without the consent or knowledge of a parent.
By law, your doctor must encourage you to discuss with your parents the fact you've been to see them about contraception. However, they will only tell your parents or another adult that you've been to see them in very exceptional circumstances. An example of exceptional circumstances is when a doctor believes you're at risk of serious harm. They would always discuss this with you first, before telling any one else.
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Discrimination in health care
The NHS and other organisations or people providing health care services are not allowed to discriminate against you because of race, sex, sexuality, religion or disability. Discrimination because of your age is not against the law.
Also, your NHS Trust or other health care organisation might have an equality policy which says it will not discriminate against you for other reasons, for example, if you have HIV or if you are a transsexual.
If you think that a doctor, dentist, nurse or other health care professional is discriminating against you, you can complain about this. Ask to see a copy of the equality policy of the organisation they work for and point out where they are failing to keep to it.
For more information about making a complaint about health services, in England and Northern Ireland see NHS complaints and in Wales see NHS complaints.
For more information about discrimination in the NHS, go to the website of the Equality and Human Rights Commission at: www.equalityhumanrights.com.
For more information about discrimination see:
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Drugs
If you are in possession of illegal drugs, you may face prosecution, depending on your age.
For information about the prosecution of young people, see Young people and the law.
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Glue sniffing and other solvent abuse
It is a criminal offence to sell solvents to a child or young person if the seller knows the product will be abused. Also, it is a criminal offence for a seller to sell cigarette lighters to anyone under 18, regardless of the circumstances.
It's not against the law to sniff solvents or other volatile substances such as aerosols, hairspray or nail varnish, unless you do it in a public place. If you sniff glue or other volatile substances in a public place, you can be arrested and charged with breach of the peace. You can get more information about glue sniffing and other solvent abuse from the website of Re-Solv at: www.re-solv.org.
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HIV/AIDS
If you want advice about HIV/AIDS, you will need to seek specialist advice, for example, from the Terrence Higgins Trust. They offer information, support and advice services to anyone living with HIV and anyone who is concerned about HIV. Their contact details are:
Terence Higgins Trust
314 - 320 Grays Inn Road
London
WC1X 8DP
Tel: 0845 12 21 200 (helpline: open Monday to Friday, 10am to 10pm and weekends, noon to 6pm)
Tel: 020 7812 1600 (admin)
Fax: 020 7812 1601
E-mail: info@tht.org.uk
Website: www.tht.org.uk
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Medical treatment
Registering with a GP
If you're under 16, you have no right to choose your own GP and must be registered by a parent. If you're aged 16 and over, you can choose your own GP.
For information about registering with a GP, see NHS patients’ rights.
Confidentiality
If you're under 16, you have the right to a confidential consultation with a doctor, provided you make it clear that you do not want your parents to be told. However, your doctor can refuse to discuss the matter if they are unwilling to accept your request for confidentiality. If you're aged 16 and above, you have the right to confidential advice and treatment.
Consent to medical treatment
If you're under 16, you can give your own consent to medical treatment provided you fully understand what is involved. If a doctor decides that you don't fully understand what is involved, your parents can give consent on your behalf.
If you're under 18 and refuse treatment, your parents or medical staff may go to court. The court can decide whether to give a court order to override your decision to refuse treatment.
For more information on consent to medical treatment, see NHS patients’ rights.
NHS charges
If you're under 16 (or aged 16, 17 or 18 and in full-time education), you're entitled to free prescriptions, dental treatment (including check ups), eye tests, vouchers for glasses and free wigs and fabric supports. In Wales, you're entitled to free prescriptions whatever your age.
If you're aged 16 and 17 and are not in full time education, you're entitled to free dental treatment (including check ups). You may also qualify for help with other NHS treatment if you are on a low income.
If you're aged 16 or 17 and maintained financially by the local authority (either wholly or partly), you're entitled to free prescriptions, eye tests, vouchers for glasses, wigs and fabric supports.
If you are not in any of these categories, you may still get help with NHS charges if you’re on a low income.
For more information about NHS charges, including information about people who qualify for help if they're on a low income, see Help with health costs.
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Self-harm
Self-harm is where you hurt or injury yourself, for example:
- cutting yourself
- taking overdoses of tablets or medicines
- scratching your skin to cause sores and scarring.
If you're self-harming, you can get help to stop. There's a useful website at: www.selfharm.org.uk. It gives you more information about self-harming and the contact details of organisations that can help.
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Sex and sexuality
The age of consent in England and Wales
It is a criminal offence for someone of either sex to take part in sexual activity with someone under the age of 16, unless it is reasonable to believe that that person is 16 or older. Sexual activity includes sexual intercourse and intentional sexual touching. The penalties for an offence of this type are more severe if it is committed by someone who is 18 or over rather than someone who is under 18.
It is legal for two people of the opposite sex or the same sex to have a sexual relationship if you are both 16 or over and you both consent to the sexual activity.
Where both people are under 16, each will be committing an offence if they have a sexual relationship. However, it is unlikely that there will be any prosecution if both people agreed to have sex and one person was not taking advantage of the other. If someone under the age of 16 is sexually involved with someone else aged 16 or over, the younger person will not be committing an offence. However, the person over 16 could be charged.
The age of consent in Northern Ireland
It is legal for two people of the opposite sex or the same sex to have a sexual relationship if both of them are 17 or over and both of them consent to the sexual activity.
It is a criminal offence for someone of either sex to take part in sexual activity with someone under the age of 17, unless it is reasonable to believe that that person is 17 or older. Sexual activity includes sexual intercourse and intentional sexual touching. The penalties for an offence of this type are more severe if it is committed by someone who is 18 or over rather than someone who is under 18.
Where both people are under 17, each will be committing an offence if they have a sexual relationship. However, it is unlikely that there will be any prosecution if both people agreed to have sex and one person was not taking advantage of the other. If someone under the age of 17 is sexually involved with someone else aged 17 or over, the younger person will not be committing an offence. However, the person over 17 could be charged.
Incest and child abuse
Incest means sexual intercourse between close relatives and it is a criminal offence.
Child abuse can include physical or emotional neglect, physical injury or sexual abuse.
If you are worried about child abuse or incest, you should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by e-mail, click on nearest CAB.
Sexually transmitted diseases
If you think you have a sexually transmitted disease and want advice or treatment, go to a family doctor, family planning clinic, clinic for sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy advisory service. A Brook Advisory Centre can give you more information – see under heading Further help.
If you are under 16, it is for the doctor to decide whether or not to act without consulting a parent. If you're concerned about confidentiality, you should check whether or not the doctor is prepared to treat you in confidence.
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Tattooing
It is a criminal offence to tattoo anyone under 18 unless a qualified medical practitioner does it for medical reasons. Someone who tattoos anyone under 18 can be prosecuted unless they show they had good cause to believe the person was over 18.
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Further help
Brook Advisory Centres
421 Highgate Studios
53-79 Highgate Road
London
NW5 1TL
Tel: 020 7284 6040 (information on nearest centre)
Helpline: 0800 018 5023
Fax: 020 7284 6050
E-mail: admin@brookcentres.org.uk
Website: www.brook.org.uk
Brook Advisory Centres offer the following services to young people under 25 years of age:
- pregnancy testing and counselling
- contraception advice and treatment
- emergency contraception
- abortion counselling and referral
- advice on, and treatment of, sexually transmitted diseases
- counselling on emotional, sexual and relationship.
All consultations are confidential.
Terence Higgins Trust
314 - 320 Grays Inn Road
London
WC1X 8DP
Tel: 0845 12 21 200 (helpline: open Monday to Friday, 10am to 10pm and weekends, noon to 6pm)
Tel: 020 7812 1600 (admin)
Fax: 020 7812 1601
e-mail: info@tht.org.uk
Website: www.tht.org.uk
Terence Higgins Trust offers information, support and advice to anyone living with HIV and anyone who is concerned about HIV or any other aspect of sexual health.
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Further information for young people
You can find more information about the rights of children and young people elsewhere in Adviceguide.
For information about the general rights of children and young people, see Young people's rights.
For information about employment, see Young people and employment.
For information about housing, see Young people and housing.
For information about family matters, see Young people and family.
For information about money and consumer rights, see Young people - money and consumer rights.
For information about benefits, see Young people and benefits.
For information about the law and young people, see Young people and the law.
For information about transport, see Young people - travel and transport.
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