Alcohol and young people
You can be stopped, fined or arrested by police if you鈥檙e under 18 and drinking alcohol in public.
If you鈥檙e under 18, it鈥檚 against the law:
- for someone to sell you alcohol
- to buy or try to buy alcohol
- for an adult to buy or try to buy alcohol for you
- to drink alcohol in licensed premises (such as a pub or restaurant)
However, if you鈥檙e 16 or 17 and accompanied by an adult, you can drink (but not buy) beer, wine or cider with a meal.
If you鈥檙e 16 or under, you may be able to go to a pub (or premises primarily used to sell alcohol) if you鈥檙e accompanied by an adult. However, this isn鈥檛 always the case. It can also depend on the specific conditions for that premises.
It鈥檚 illegal to give alcohol to children under 5.
Working in a restaurant or bar under 18
You can serve alcohol in a restaurant if you鈥檙e 16 or 17 as long as the licence holder or bar manager has approved the sale.
You may be restricted to selling alcohol in sealed containers (such as cans or bottles) in some areas.