Proof of Age - A Difficult Dilemma

With the changes in mandatory conditions in England and Wales and the requirements in Scotland, proof of age and what is accepted to prove your age has become more and more important. 

Most people involved in the licensed trade, if not all, will know and accept a photo Driving Licence or Passport. 

There are of course other valid forms of identification that can be accepted and perhaps most common are those accredited by the Proof of Age Standard Scheme (PASS), a scheme endorsed by both the Association of Chief Police Officers and The Home Office.

However recent statistics published by Citizen Card, one of the largest issuers of Proof of Age cards, shows that 47% of card holders had been refused on at least one occasion

We teach both the APLH (Award for Personal Licence Holders) in England and Wales and the SCPLH (Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holders) in Scotland.  That course covers proof of age and is always a hot topic of discussion. 

It is an area of great difficulty, not least because of the fears which many licensed premises operators have that if they allow someone in under age they will have to explain what identification they ask for and Passport and Driving Licences are by far the most recognisable form of identification and so premises accept only those documents to keep the issue as simple as possible.

That having been said, clearly, there are concerns and draw backs to young people having to take out their Passport and/or Driving Licence on a simple night out to prove their age and the risk that entails. 

Undoubtedly, as the law continues to develop, this will become an area that comes under greater scrutiny.

And a reminder that Challenge 25 is now the mandatory requirement for all premises licensees in Scotland.