Citizenship
Neurodiversity Hub Wirral
Understanding your rights and responsibilities
Adulthood brings new freedoms, but it also brings new responsibilities.
Young adults need to understand:
how to learn about local and national issues
how to register to vote and take part in voting
what jury duty is and what it involves
Young adults also need to know how to:
speak up for themselves
speak up for their communities or issues they care about
It is important to understand basic laws and what might happen if these laws are broken.
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Mental capacity means that a young person aged 16 or over can make their own decisions.
To have mental capacity, a young person must be able to:
understand information linked to the decision
remember the information long enough to make a decision
use or weigh up the information
communicate their decision in a clear way (this can be spoken, written, or any other method)
If a young person cannot do these things, they may be seen as lacking capacity.
This can include some young people with:
learning disabilities
mental health difficulties
brain injuries
When a young person aged 16 or over is assessed as lacking mental capacity, decisions may be supported or made by others, depending on the situation. These may include:
parents or carers
medical staff
education staff
other professionals
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) explains:
who should be involved in decisions
how decisions should be made
when support is needed
This includes decisions about life‑saving treatment.
More information:
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People with disabilities have legal rights that protect them from discrimination.
These rights apply to many parts of life, including:
work
education
housing
contact with the police
The Equality Act 2010 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities protect these rights in the UK.
More information:
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It is against the law for an employer to discriminate against you because of a disability.
Employers must make reasonable adjustments.
These are changes that help you do your job and prevent disadvantage.
Examples include:
changing working hours
adjusting duties
providing specialist equipment
More information:
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Schools, colleges, and training providers must not treat disabled students unfairly.
They must make reasonable adjustments so disabled students are not disadvantaged.
This may include:
extra support
specialist equipment
changes to how learning or assessments are delivered
Universities and higher education colleges have a named disability support contact.
You can talk to them about the help available.
More information:
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Your rights during police contact may depend on your needs.
If you have a learning disability, you should only be interviewed by the police if an appropriate adult is present.
An appropriate adult:
does not work for the police
understands how to support people with learning disabilities
The police can interview without an appropriate adult only if delaying would risk:
harm to people
damage to property
loss of important evidence
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In England and Wales:
the age of criminal responsibility is 10 years old
This means:
children aged 10 to 17 can be arrested and taken to court
from age 18, a person is legally an adult
If a young person aged 18 to 25 is sent to prison, they usually go to a setting for 18–25‑year‑olds, not a full adult prison.
Support if a young person gets into trouble
Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) support young people who come into contact with the law.
They look at:
the young person’s background
what support is needed
how to prevent further offending
A youth offending team may be involved if a young person:
is arrested or questioned by the police
is charged with a crime and goes to court
is convicted and sentenced
More information:
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Using a passport as ID
A passport is an official document that proves your:
identity
nationality
It includes:
your name
date and place of birth
passport number
photograph
signature
issue and expiry dates
You can apply for a passport online:
Using a driving licence as ID
A driving licence can also be used as proof of identity.
You can apply for a provisional driving licence when you are 15 years and 9 months old.
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You must be registered to vote before you can take part in elections or referendums in the UK.
You can vote:
in person at a polling station
by post
by proxy (someone votes on your behalf)
You cannot vote online.
You can vote when you are:
18 in England and Northern Ireland
16 in Scottish Parliament and local elections
16 in Welsh Parliament (Senedd) and local elections
You can vote in:
General elections (usually every 5 years)
Local elections (usually every 4 years, dates may vary)
More information:
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If you receive a jury summons, you must reply within 7 days to say whether you can attend.
Your name is chosen randomly from the electoral register.
A jury:
has 12 people
listens to the evidence in a criminal trial
decides whether a person is guilty or not guilty
More information: