What is the legal age of drinking alcohol in UK?

Question

What is the legal age of drinking alcohol in UK?

Answer 1

It is eighteen I think they are considering to put it up to twenty one . You can go in a pub if you are sixteen as long as you are accompanied by an adult , but you can only drink soft drinks no alcohol.

Answer 2

18, but lots of bars and now some supermarkets won't sell to you if you're under 21

Answer 3

The legal age is 18, for drinking in pubs :)

Answer 4

Legal drinking age is a limit assigned by governments to restrict the access of children and youth to alcoholic beverages. In most countries the legal age to purchase alcohol is 18, but there are considerable variations. Laws on consumption of alcoholic beverages vary even more widely. Finally, the degree to which these laws are enforced varies even within jurisdictions.

Answer 5

So many vague answers. Here are the facts as taken and abbreviated from Government websites, BBC websites, and Parenting websites. They all agree.

At home, children can legally drink alcohol from the age of 5 in the UK. Of course this is subject to parental supervision and the parents can still be charged under various counts of neglect, child endangerment and so on if they let the child consume alcohol irresponsibly. So straight spirits are pretty much a no no.

Out for a meal you can drink Beer, Cider or wine with your food from age 16 as long as you are accompanied by an adult aged over 18.

Once you've turned 18 you can legally purchase and drink alcohol without supervision.

Now here's the question. How old are you? If you are 16 you can go into a pub with an 18 year old and order food and alcoholic drinks for both of you, perfectly legally.

Answer 6

To drink alcohol at home with parental supervision you have to be just 5 amazingly!However if parents let a 5 year old drink strong alcohol they would probably be done for child abuse and the kid would be taken into care so it's not smart.

If your 16 you can drink alcohol (but not spirits) with a meal provided someone with you is 18 or over.

Once your 18 you can buy alcohol and drink it without a meal and on your own in a pub,club or anywhere really.

The reason some people think you have to be 21 is that supermarkets and many off-licences are now making anyone who looks under 21 show ID to prove they are 18 before they will sell them alcohol-you don't actually have to be 21.

In Scotland they are talking about altering the rules so you have to be 21 to buy drink at a supermarket or off-licence though you will still be able to buy it in pubs and clubs from 18.They hope this will cut binge drinking.Personally I doubt it will work if they do it but if it does work it will probably happen in England and Wales too.

Answer 7

im pretty sure its 21. (i worked in publix[main supermarket down here] and i would ask everyone from different countries what the drinking age was.)

either that ir it is 18...  usually you can buy BEER at 16 in germany and stuff but cant buy wine or liquor til 18

Answer 8

18 but you can drink with your parent at a young age.

Answer 9

Pub - 18

buy it from shop - 21

clubs - 21

Answer 10

18 to buy on your own anywhere, 16 having a meal with parents, and apparently from 5 at home...(that's what a police officer told me)

Answer 11

18 to go into a pub on your own (you have to be 21 AND have ID to buy alcohol from off licences/supermarkets.

At 16 you can have alcohol with a MEAL in a Pub as long as your parents are present.

Answer 12

18, or if drinking with adults at a meal, 17.

Answer 13

In the UK there isn't an upper limit.  You can basically drink until you die of old age (or alcohol poisoning)

Answer 14

As of now, it is 18. However, not too long ago, BBC reported a call to raise the age to 21. This call was soon dismissed, though, so the age is back to 18.

Answer 15

There is no legal age for drinking alcohol.

The only law is the purchasing of alcohol.

You must be 18 to purchase alcohol.

Answer 16

You need to be 6570 days old

Answer 17

its 18, but some pubs and liquor stores are 21.

Answer 18

18 dur dur dur

Answer 19

You need to be 18 to BUY alcohol, 16 to have wine, beer or cider with a pub or restaurant meal, providing an adult orders it. In the house you could have a glass of wine before this age with parental permission, e.g a party or family gathering, but a child under 5 should NOT drink alcohol whatever the occasion.

Answer 20

To buy alcohol it is 18 but most shops have a policy that if you look under 21 they will id you just to cover their backs

You can more or less drink at home at any age as there is no real law against apart from one that says children under 5 should not be given alcohol

16 + you can drink 1 glass of wine or beer if your parents are present

Answer 21

18

Answer 22

it is 18, this goes for anywhere (shops, pubs,etc) the reason most people think it is 21 is because to show social responsibility owners of these places have put up signs saying that if you look under 21 they'll have to ask your id as they get allot of flac from 18 and 19 year olds when we ask for their id.

Answer 23

eighteen. the age sixteen can go inside to pubs eating with their parents is fine, though, they can't drink and go waaaay drunk. haha.

Answer 24

legal age is 18 but you will be id if you look under 21 its called challange 21 but as long as you can prove you are 18 with either a passport drivers license with photo or proff of age card with photo you will be fine

Answer 25

to buy alcohol in the UK you have to be 18

and all these people saying you have to be 21 to buy it from supermarkets are incorrect

you will be asked for I.D if you look under 21 in supermarkets, but if you can prove your 18, you can buy alcohol anywhere

Answer 26

18

from 12 if your with a supervising adult with a meal_ this does not constitute bar snacks.

one pint/one glass of wine but not really spirits and not enough to intoxicate

Answer 27

18! BUT....! if you're over the age13 or 14, you're aloud 1 glass of wine for dinner as long as you are with your guardian or parent

by the way!!!....

to purchase alcohol in the uk, YOU ONLY HAVE TO BE 18. NO MATTER WHAT! but you can be id'd if you look under the age of 21

Answer 28

18.

16 with a meal when your with an adult.

and i think you have to be 21 to buy it from a shop.. not sure on that one though.

Answer 29

Well you CAN drink at home with parents from pretty much any age, the legal age to buy it however is 18.

Answer 30

The legal age to purchase alcohol is 18. People aged 16 and 17, may consume wine, beer or cider with a table meal, provided they are with an adult and an adult orders it. (England & Wales only, Scotland no adult required to be present). The legal age for the purchase of liqueur chocolates is 16. Children under 5 must not be given alcohol unless under medical supervision or in an emergency (Children and Young Persons Act 1933). You may not buy alcohol for a drunk person on licensed premises. All off-sales are advised to ask for photographic ID if the person looks under 21.

Purchasing alcohol on behalf of a minor is illegal in England and Wales. In Scotland, from 2009 purchasing alcohol for any minor will be made illegal.

There are proposals in Scotland to raise the legal age for buying alcohol in off-licences and supermarkets to 21