daughter was asked to leave homebase because she's under 18?

Nope, not true.

So a 16yo in their own flat wouldn't be able to buy their own decorating stuff? Really?

They would struggle to have their own flat at 16 as they can’t enter into a contract at that age.
While I am sure there aren't many 16 year olds that don't own their own flats there are plenty that live in semi - independent establishments. They are free to decorate their flat as they want.

Off topic again, but there are some instances where a 16 year old could be decorating a flat.

Supported accommodation for example - we took young people from age 15 onwards where I used to work, usually because their foster placements had broken down. All flats were self contained and could be decorated however they wanted to.

Our local authority housing register is open to anyone from age 16 onwards, although this may vary depending on where you live, so it absolutely can happen that a 16 year old can rent a flat.

If this is a Homebase policy, it is really strange how coy they are about it on their website and that they don't have signs up by the entrance. The fact that the person on the till accepted the purchase does rather suggest that it isn't, and the employee who tackled your child was wrong.

They have employees under 18, so I suspect there's some important information missing here..

I hate the way teenagers are treated in the uk. People’s comments suggest that posters genuinely think that Homebase must have huge problems caused by 16 year old girls running amok in their shops.

People should care that our freedoms were curtailed and people behaved like sheep for two years. It is very concerning.

Because they can. And it suits them. And neither they nor the rest of the world, except for you, gives a shit.

She sounds like a young woman who has learnt not to let idiots walk all over her. Well done to the young woman for standing up for herself.

Why did they implement this policy, do you know? What does Covid have to do with anything? Yet another excuse to curtail our freedoms, absolute nonsense.

Wow, your daughter sounds great! Good on her for standing up for herself. And good on you for raising a strong woman.

B&Q put a policy in place post-COVID of no unaccompanied under-16s and it was retained in most stores. The Range has had a similar policy (adopted on a store by store basis) since 2018. Manager at Homebase has clearly confirmed they have a similar policy. OP's DD had the right to question the policy but was clearly overconfident in assuming she was right that the employee was making it up. I'd neither be castigating her as rude nor being her unabashed cheerleader.

On the under-18s signing contracts - they can sign a contract, any can, but it is usually unenforceable unless and until ratified when they're 18 so not usually a good idea to try and contract with a minor. The exception is if it's a "contract for necessaries" - things like rent, employment etc.

But then so do supermarkets and they cope with under 18s?

There's a big difference between an unsupervised 10 year old and a perfectly well-behaved 15 year old.

Whereas you just seem judgmental and rude.

I've heard of Care leaver's having this issue. Some do leave at 16. Not all can get into supported living. The one we had in our town closed a couple of years ago. When the contract ended with the housing association and wasn't renewed. Not sure what has been done with the building come to think of it.

Good on your daughter for querying it, i've never heard of being 18 to need to shop in Homebase! Is it the same in B&Q or Jewsons i wonder?

Fair enough if they were buying products with an age restriction, but they werent. The likes of Tesco sell age restricted alcohol and 15 year olds can still go in there unaccompanied.. doesnt make sense

I disagree she was a paying customer who felt accused of being a shoplifter

So it is unlikely, that doesn't mean it can't happen.

But you could say that with a supermarket

I have never seen a note on the door of any shop anywhere in the UK that children below the age of 18 are only allowed in if they are supervised.
Fair enough that a shop can have such a rule but then it should be advertised with huge letters on a huge poster right by the entrance.
Not the: "You broke a rule we never told you existed so now I get to punish you! Haha!".

I have no idea. My friend used to work in that kind of area, maybe the council acts as their guarantor? I’ve rented places myself and no agent/LL would accept under 18s and you definitely can’t get a mortgage under 18.

Did find the attached picture on the gov website.

If someone is running around a shop causing a problem they can be asked to leave, as can someone behaving suspiciously.
To stereotype young people who are behaving normally and making a legitimate purchase is discrimination in my book.
I have complained about ageism directed at older people on here several times (old biddy type posts) and I also dislike prejudice against young people.
I can understand not letting large numbers into a small shop e.g. pie shop at lunchtime but I think a blanket policy of no unaccompanied under 16s in a shop is discriminatory and I don't think OPs child was wrong to challenge it as long as it was done politely.

Your daughter sounds amazing! Love her confidence and ability to challenge!