So is 18 years old the age when people become an Adults

12.26.14pm GMT Fri 12th Jan 2007

Young people in an audience

About a week and a half ago I wrote about at which age someone becomes an adult - the Government had just announced it was raising the age at which people could buy cigarettes to 18. Now the Government looks set to raise the age that compulsory education (or training) ends to 18. At the same time I have been, and still am, running a poll on the issue.

The Poll asks the question "At what age does someone become an adult? Did you know there are 13 different ages when rights and/or responsibilities are bestowed on people in the UK. Its absolutely bonkers!" 16 is top with 37% and 18 second with 33%, no one age comes third with 23%, at the ends of the scale 14(yes 14!) and 21 both have 2% of the vote.

As for school leaving ages, the first was set in 1880 and set at 10 years old, in 1893 this rose to 11, 189 saw it increase again to 12. After the First World Ward the leaving age rose to 14, after the Second World Ward is rose to 15 years old. The next change was to 16 in 1972. In 1997 the actually date that you could leave changed to the to be the last Friday of June of the year you become 16 (I think before it had to be the next half-term holiday).

I argued last time there should be one common age, maybe the Government is coming around to that and may well have one common age at 18. It remains to be seen.

The poll is still on the the website www.colin-ross.org.uk giving a variety of options, I would be interested to know your view.