The laws on homosexuality and heterosexuality
The legal age of sexual consent for heterosexuals in the UK is 16. Consent means agreeing to something, in this case to having sexual intercourse.
Homosexuality used to be illegal in the UK. The Sexual Offences Act 1967 made changes so that homosexual men over the age of 21 could have sexual relationships, in private.
In 1994 a further change saw it reduced to those aged over 18.
The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000 made the ages of legal consent for heterosexuals and homosexuals equal and the legal age of consent for homosexual people was changed to 16. This change came into effect in Northern Ireland when the Sexual Offences Order was passed in 2008.
More guides on this topic
- Personal and family issues: Marriage and divorce - CCEA
- Personal and family issues: Different types of family - CCEA
- Matters of life and death: Crime, punishment and justice - CCEA
- Matters of life and death: Abortion and euthanasia - CCEA
- Developments in bioethics - CCEA
- Contemporary issues in Christianity - CCEA
- Modern warfare - CCEA