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Follow these links to find out what age you can…

Open a Bank Account and Borrow Money

Get Social Security

We have also produced a legal guide At What Age Can I..? which you can buy from this link.

Open a Bank Account and Borrow Money

The age at which you can open a bank or building society account varies according to the rules of the particular bank or building society. Most banks have special accounts for children and young people.

You can borrow money or ask for an overdraft if you are under 18, but because you are not legally responsible for your debts, it may be difficult to find a bank that will lend you money. You might need to have a guarantor if you are under 18 and want a loan. A guarantor is someone who agrees to pay the money back if you fail to do so. The same applies to hire purchase and credit agreements: you will need a guarantor until you are 18 years old.

Get Social Security

Social security is a government programme that provides benefits or services for people that need help, for example, one of the benefits available is housing benefit.

You can get a National Insurance Number from the age of 16.

If you are 16 or older and an ‘eligible’ child or a ‘relevant’ child (this means that you have been ‘looked after’ by the local authority for at least 13 weeks from the age of 14, whether or not you are still ‘looked after’ by the local authority), you can’t claim housing benefit or jobseeker’s allowance, but you can seek financial assistance from the local authority.

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