As of June 29, 2026, schools in England are no longer just encouraged to keep phones away from students — they are legally required to do it. The government’s thinking is simple: Phones distract kids, enable bullying, and drag children onto social media when they should be paying attention. Many schools had already drawn their own lines on this, but the new law closes the gaps and sets a clear national standard.
Students will generally still be allowed to bring their phones to school, but each school can decide how to manage them. The government also says schools are best placed to choose the enforcement method that works for their students, although education leaders have called for additional funding to help schools purchase secure storage systems and phone pouches. Some schools permit only basic mobile phones, and exceptions are available for students who need smartphones for medical reasons, such as controlling insulin pumps.
Supporters of the ban argue it improves concentration, encourages face-to-face conversations, and reduces dependence on smartphones and social media. Teachers say the difference in the classroom is noticeable, with students more willing to talk to each other and more engaged in lessons when the devices are put away.
Separately, on June 15, 2026, the British government announced that children under 16 will be blocked from accessing major social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, and X. The Prime Minister described it as a direct response to the harm these platforms cause young people — from addictive design features to bullying to content that nobody under 16 should be stumbling across. The law still needs to clear Parliament before it takes effect, with early 2027 the current target.
Britain’s version of this goes further than what other countries have tried. The government also plans to restrict gaming platforms and livestreaming services where children can connect with strangers. For teenagers approaching 16, officials are exploring overnight access curfews and forced breaks in endless scrolling — both targeted at compulsive use rather than just age limits.
A national consultation that gathered more than 116,000 responses found more than 90% of people in favor of restricting social media for anyone under 16. Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal fall outside the ban, as do child-specific services like YouTube Kids. Enforcement will focus on technology companies, which could face substantial fines if they fail to implement effective age verification systems and prevent under-16s from accessing restricted platforms.
