The law surrounding under 18s and alcohol

Can I take my kids into a pub?

The law varies slightly between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

In general, under-16s are allowed in pubs accompanied by an adult, but can’t drink and may have to leave by a certain time. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 16 and 17-year-olds can have wine, cider and beer bought for them to drink with a meal while in Scotland they can buy it themselves with a meal.

It’s worth reminding your child that if they are caught drinking in a public place, police can seize their alcohol and will likely take their details and contact their parents.

Is it OK to let my kids drink at home?

Legally you can let your children drink alcohol in your own home from age five onwards. Although that obviously doesn’t mean you should be giving them champagne on their fifth birthday.

We’ve all heard the debate over whether it’s better to take a ‘continental’ approach to alcohol letting children have a small amount with meals from an early age, or whether we should be encouraging them to hold off as long as possible before having their first drink.

There is some evidence that the younger someone is when they start drinking, the more likely they are to develop alcohol-related problems. But this evidence is not conclusive. The important thing is to make sure they have the facts and know they feel able to talk to you about alcohol.

If you have older teenagers who are already drinking, you might prefer them to be somewhere you can keep an eye on them. Allowing them to have some low strength beer at home with their friends may be better than them being out on the streets drinking.

Page last updated by

Root User, 19 Apr 2010.

Page checked on

04 Nov 2009.