United Kingdom: The age when you can legally drink alcohol in the UK – and it isn’t always 18
Here is what the law says about children drinking alcohol
By Matthew Cooper
October 19, 2018
Let’s get this out the way first, it is ILLEGAL for someone under 18 to buy alcohol, attempt to buy alcohol or to be sold alcohol.
That said, very few of us wait until we are 18 to drink – tins down the park is pretty much a rite of passage when growing up.
However, there are nuances to the law, sort of.
It is LEGAL for someone over 18 to buy a child over 16 beer, wine or cider if they are eating a table meal together in licensed premises.
At home it is a different matter, a child aged five to 16 can drink alcohol at home or on other private premises as much as they like.
However, Drink Aware does issue guidelines on under 18s drinking: “If 15 to 17 year olds do consume alcohol, they should limit it to no more than one day a week.
“Young people aged 15 to 17 years should never exceed the recommended adult weekly alcohol limits (no more than 14 units a week) and, when they do drink, they should usually drink less than that amount.”
The laws on drinking:
It is against the law:
- To sell alcohol to someone under 18 anywhere.
- For an adult to buy or attempt to buy alcohol on behalf of someone under 18. (Retailers can reserve the right to refuse the sale of alcohol to an adult if they’re accompanied by a child and think the alcohol is being bought for the child.)
- For someone under 18 to buy alcohol, attempt to buy alcohol or to be sold alcohol.
- For someone under 18 to drink alcohol in licensed premises, except where the child is 16 or 17 years old and accompanied by an adult. In this case it is legal for them to drink, but not buy, beer, wine and cider with a table meal.
- For an adult to buy alcohol for someone under 18 for consumption on licensed premises, except as above.
- To give children alcohol if they are under five.
It is not illegal:
- For someone over 18 to buy a child over 16 beer, wine or cider if they are eating a table meal together in licensed premises.
- For a child aged five to 16 to drink alcohol at home or on other private premises.
For more information visit Drink Aware’s page on buying alcohol.