It is a crime in Northern Ireland to pay for sex. This means it is illegal to pay or promise to pay someone for sex, either directly or through another person.
Under the law, payment can mean money, goods or services. The sexual services which are illegal involve you being physically present with the person who is selling the sexual service. If you are found guilty of paying for sex you could be made to pay a fine, or be sent to prison for up to a year, or in some cases both.
It is a much more serious offence to pay for sexual services from anyone under the age of If the child is:. Find out more about the legislation on paying for sexual services. It is not a crime to sell sexual services in Northern Ireland. It is also not a crime to loiter or solicit for the purposes of offering services as a prostitute in a street or public place.
It is however a crime to keep or manage a brothel or to control prostitution for profit. If this involves anyone under the age of 18 the penalties can be up to 14 years imprisonment. If you are involved in prostitution and want to explore possible alternatives, you can contact Beyond Support , a free UK confidential support service. You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site. Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.
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