Age of Criminal Responsibility Bill [HL]

Key Points

• Raises the age of criminal responsibility to a higher threshold set by the bill.
• Creates a welfare-based route for cases involving children below the new age instead of standard criminal prosecutions.
• Affects how police, prosecutors, courts and local authorities handle offences by young children, with a shift towards safeguarding and child welfare pathways.
• May include transitional provisions and alignment with other child-protection and family-law measures.
• Currently at the Lords’ 2nd reading and would proceed to committee stage if it progresses, before potential passage to the House of Commons.

Progress

The bill is at the Lords’ 2nd reading. If it passes that stage, it would move to committee stage in the Lords and, if approved, proceed to the House of Commons for consideration, before potential Royal Assent.