While the BBFC can do nothing about individual cases, we recognise that this is a matter of some concern to the public. We have had a number of complaints which we have raised with the Cinema Exhibitors Association (CEA), the industry body for cinemas throughout the UK. Cinema managers have the power to refuse entry to anyone whom they reasonably consider to be disruptive. We would strongly recommend that anyone whose enjoyment of a film is spoiled by noisy or disruptive young children should make their views known to cinema managers or staff.

Publications in the UK, including books and magazines, are subject to UK law such as the Obscene Publications Acts and the Protection of Children Act 1978, as well as laws governing incitement to hatred on racial, religious and sexual orientation grounds. There have also been occasional attempts to block the publication of some books in the UK which have been felt by the Government to threaten national security.

Some publishers have introduced their own guidance on the suitability of their books for particular age groups. This advice is usually published on the cover of the book.

Theatrical censorship was abolished in 1968. However, venues still have to comply with the terms and conditions of their license and this may include regulating the admission of children. Some venues will also provide warnings as to the nature of a production and suggest age recommendations for particular performances.

The BBFC’s Guidelines for language at ‘15’ note that ‘there may be frequent use of strong language (for example, ‘fuck’). The strongest terms (for example, ‘cunt’) may be acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable’.

The question of language is one of the more problematic areas of classification on account of the considerably diverse views on the subject within the UK. We recognise the significant offence caused to some viewers by very strong language, especially when delivered to a female character by a male or is used in a crude sexual sense or uttered aggressively. This potential offence is taken into account when we classify films and DVDs. However, the use of very strong language in ’15′ rated works is not unprecedented, and occurs in a range of different films such as ATONEMENT and IN THE LOOP where the context of the language has been either pivotal to the narrative or illustrates moments of extreme emotion. To classify these films ’18′ – when all the other issues could be accommodated at ’15′ – would be a disproportionate response and misleading. It would also not be supported by our public consultations which have indicated that infrequent very strong language would be acceptable in a ’15′ work within certain contexts. Our Consumer Advice will always flag the use of very strong language in ‘15’ rated works.

The Video Recordings Act (VRA) defines the supply of DVDs as ‘supply in any manner, whether or not for reward, and therefore, includes supply by way of sale, letting on hire, exchange or loan’ [Section 1(4)]. It is therefore clear that hiring out video works in a library is covered by the Act. There is no concession to ‘educational’ communities such as schools.

Under the Video Recordings Act 1984, it is an offence to offer to supply unclassified material on video or DVD.

If you strongly suspect that a DVD has not been classified, and also would not be eligible for exemption from classification, you should bring the matter to the attention of your local trading standards office or to LACORS – the Local Authorities Coordinator of Regulatory Services. Their website is http://www.lacors.gov.uk.

Trading standards officers have the authority to investigate breaches of the criminal law, and take such remedial action as deemed appropriate. The BBFC does not have any powers of enforcement.

Contact details for trading standards offices can be obtained either from the internet or from your local authority.

‘PG’ rated DVDs may be supplied to customers of any age. The ‘PG’ rating is a warning to parents and supervising guardians that some scenes in the work may be unsuitable for young children and that they should consider whether the content may upset younger or more sensitive children. While there is no age restriction in law, some retailers may operate their own internal policies regarding the selling of certain products to very young children.

The BBFC’s classification decisions are made in line with published classification Guidelines (LINK). These Guidelines are a product of both experience and an extensive public consultation process which is repeated regularly. It will be inevitable that public attitudes and values will change over time. In order to be relevant and useful, our Guidelines will try to reflect these shifts of opinion. However, it will not always follow that these changes signal a decline in classification standards. Our last public consultation (2009) revealed that the public had a heightened sensitivity to issues of racism, drug misuse, knife crime and suicide, especially in works aimed at younger audiences. We introduced a new key classification issue of  ‘discrimination’ which addresses potentially offensive content, relating to such matters as race, gender, religion, disability or sexuality as a result of significant public concern. Public attitudes towards the portrayal of sexual violence remain constant and the BBFC has always applied a strict policy when classifying scenes of rape and sexual assault. New concerns will also emerge, and old ones will become less significant.  Our classification guidelines and policies will always try to reflect these changing concerns.

If a film has been classified ’15′ or ‘18’, it indicates that no one younger than 15 or 18 years may see it in a cinema, even if they are accompanied by an adult (ie a person aged 18 years and over) or has obtained parental permission to do so. This includes the admittance of babies or very young children.

By allowing an underage child to view a ’15′ or ’18′ rated film, the cinema has failed in its duty to maintain this age restriction, and will be in breach of the conditions of its license. Cinema licenses are issued by the local authority under the Licensing Act 2003. A cinema risks a fine or losing its license altogether if it is caught in violation of its license requirements.

The BBFC’s position is that we would not recommend taking very young children to anything higher that a ‘PG’ rated film.

Strictly speaking, UK law does not apply once a plane or ferry is outside the UK so we cannot see how BBFC classifications can be enforced for onboard entertainment.  Arrangements regarding the showing of films on flights or ferries will differ from company to company. Some UK based companies will use the BBFC’s classification categories while others edit the films ‘in-house’ for suitability for family audiences and have parental controls and warnings about film content as part of their entertainment package. Travel operators based in other countries may use their own countries’ standards, and these can vary enormously from country to country.

The issue of age-restricted product advertising eg alcohol, or service is not straightforward, and many such products are advertised to the general public via a variety of different media, including on TV, in newspapers and magazines and on billboards. Our Classification Guidelines allow alcohol adverts to be classified at any category provided there are no elements in the advert which would preclude a particular rating, for example, ‘bad’ language, violence, or overt attempts to associate alcohol with sexual prowess or a glamorous / successful lifestyle. A film ad can be shown alongside a feature film as long as it has not been classified higher than the category given to that feature.

Sometimes, the ‘sell’ of an advertisement is oblique enough not to be understood or to appeal to children or young teenagers. It should also be borne in mind that audiences for films rated lower than ‘18’ will contain adult viewers to whom the advertised product may be of interest and who may be able legally and appropriately to purchase them. This will also apply to other age restricted or appropriate products such as shaving items and cars. In addition to BBFC Guidelines, film advertisements are also obliged to comply with the relevant advertising code. This requires that ads for alcohol are not shown with a film which is likely to have an audience of which more than 25% is under the age of 18 years.

The BBFC is not responsible for the exhibition of cinema trailers and advertisements.

When the BBFC awards a film a ’15′ classification, this indicates that no one younger than 15 years can see the film in a cinema, even if accompanied by an adult or parental permission has been obtained.

The cinema will be violating the terms of its license (issued by the local authority) if it admits underage children to age-restricted films. Box office staff are within their rights to request proof of age of customers if they believe a child to be underage. Likewise, they can refuse to admit a customer if age cannot be proven, or ID is unsatisfactory. Cinemas can refuse to admit a 15 year old (or over) for ’15′-rated films without proof of age, despite reassurances from accompanying parents or guardians. Such caution is necessary as cinemas and their staff risk heavy fines or even loss of license if caught in breach of these conditions.

The responsibility for complying with license conditions rests solely with the cinema. It is outside the remit of the BBFC to advise on how these age restrictions are enforced by cinemas. They will be a matter of company policy, or made in accordance with license conditions or the requirements of the local authority. However, all cinemas will have terms of admittance, and parents and teenage viewers are advised to consult these.

Often these terms will identify what forms of ID are acceptable. They can be found on cinema websites, or should be available from the box office staff. Some cinemas and chains operate their own ID card system for teenagers and students. Some local authorities offer ‘proof of age’ cards for public transport which may be acceptable. Some cinemas operate teenage ‘film clubs’. Again, information will be available at the cinemas.

Trailers are classified as stand alone works. They are often submitted for classification months before the film is classified, so it is not possible to know the content or the category of the film. Examiners note the different issues (eg sex, violence, language) and the theme and tone of the trailer before making a recommendation.

Classification decisions may be more restrictive with regard to trailers and advertisements. This is because difficult content in such short works may have a greater impact on an unprepared audience.

A film trailer or advertisement can be shown alongside a feature film as long as it has not been classified higher than the category given to that feature. This is still the case if the film trailer is for a feature which has received a classification higher than the film it is being shown alongside. However, as trailers have shorter bursts of action it is possible that snippets from, say, a ‘15’ rated horror film may lack intensity in a short trailer and be containable at ‘12A’. Therefore, theoretically, a trailer for a ’18′ film, if classified ‘U’, could be shown alongside a ‘U’ rated film.

The BBFC is not responsible for the exhibition of cinema trailers. It is the responsibility of the cinemas to ensure that age-appropriate trailers are shown during screenings.

The BBFC would not recommend this, as the classification decision indicates that the film contains material unsuitable for children younger than the age specified. There are, however, some marginal cases where it might be considered appropriate to show a film in an educational context where it is properly discussed and presented. Schools should seek parental consent prior to the screening and we would recommend obtaining the approval of the head teacher and Governors. It is also important to make sure that any children watching the film are not likely to suffer any ill effects as a result.

The Video Recordings Act 1984 makes it illegal to supply any video or DVD within the UK which has not been classified by the BBFC, unless it is exempt. Although it is not a Customs offence to import an unclassified video or DVD, it must be for your personal use only and the content must not breach the prohibition on the importation of indecent and obscene material which reflects other UK laws (eg the Obscene Publications Acts 1959 and 1964, the Protection of Children Act 1978). You are therefore entitled to purchase unclassified videos/DVDs whilst abroad, provided they contain no illegal material and are solely for personal use.

The BBFC acts purely as a regulator and is therefore not able to assist with such enquiries.

Our website can only help you to identify whether a particular work has been classified by us. This does not necessarily mean that the work is still available for purchase or that it was ever released in the UK. If you are unable to find a particular work on our database, this may mean that it has never been classified in the UK. It may also be because the work was submitted to us under another title. In this case, a search based on director, cast or year of classification may help you to narrow down your enquiry.

No, we have no plans at all for making these ratings advisory. Neither of these categories is suitable for young children, accompanied or otherwise.

What does the ‘A’ in ‘12A’ stand for?
It stands for ‘accompanied’ and it also stands for ‘advisory’.

Has the ‘12A’ replaced the ‘12’ certificate?
Yes, for the cinema only. There are no plans to change the ‘12’ certificate for video/ DVD.

What does the ‘12A’ category mean in practice?
Children under the age of 12 will be able to see a ‘12A’ film at the cinema if they are accompanied by a person of 18 years or over. The adult must watch the film with the child or children and not just pay for the ticket.

Does this mean that very young children could see a ‘12A’ film?
Only if an accompanying adult accepts responsibility. The BBFC considers the content of a ‘12A’ film to be suitable for children of 12 and over. We would not recommend taking very young children to see ‘12A’ films, but parents or guardians must decide whether the film is suitable for their child or children.

So why don’t you simply set a minimum age limit eg 8 or 10 years old?
This has not generally been found necessary in other countries which have used the ‘12A’ system. We would prefer to rely upon the good judgement of parents, supported by clear Consumer Advice and the Extended Classification Information (ECI) available both on this website and pbbfc (add link), the website aimed specifically at parents.

Why not a ‘12A’ for videos/ DVDs as well?
It would make no useful difference to the present situation for videos/DVDs. The present video/DVD ‘12’ category means that you have to be 12 or over to rent or buy a ‘12’ video/DVD.

Why did you change the ‘12’ to a ‘12A’? Were you bowing to commercial pressure?
The initiative for the ‘12A’ was entirely the BBFC’s and was not asked for by the industry. The BBFC used to receive a steady stream of letters from parents of children under 12 asking why they could not make the decision about whether their child should see a ‘12’ rated film. We know the development and maturity of children varies considerably. The equivalent of a ‘12A’ is the norm in most of Europe and North America.

The BBFC provides Consumer Advice – a short sentence which lists the main issues that determined which category the work received. The advice for cinema films appears on advertising and in listings. In the case of video/DVDs or games, the Consumer Advice appears on the back of the packaging.