BBFC Age Ratings

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is the organisation that gives films and video products released in the UK an age rating. It judges what is actually in the product and places it in the age band that fits that content. A rating is not a guess about who would enjoy the film: it shows who the content is suitable for.

The content decides the category

It is the content that moves a product up a band, not its style. A cartoon about two friends building a go-kart for a school race, full of slapstick crashes and a dog that keeps stealing the sandwiches, would be a U. Keep the same characters and animation but add a crash where a driver is badly hurt and blood is shown, plus two uses of strong language, and the film would move to at least a 12. Nothing about the drawings changed — only what is shown and heard.

12A and 12 are not the same rating

12A is only used for cinema screenings and lets a child under 12 in as long as an adult goes with them. 12 is used when the film is released to watch at home and is suitable only for people aged 12 and over, so there is no 12A version of a home release. One film can carry 12A at the cinema and 12 when it is sold, because the two ratings work in different places.

A rating on a product lets an audience see straight away who it is suitable for, which helps families and friends choose something that fits.