Is it illegal to trick-or-treat in the UK? What the law says

From fluffy black cats to gruesome zombies and everything in between, groups of all ages will once again be strolling through their neighbourhoods to cram as many sweets as possible into their cauldrons and bags for life.

But although trick-or-treating has now become part of UK culture, you might be wondering what the laws are surrounding the event, as sometimes many feel uncertain about the rules when it comes to knocking on stranger's doors.

Is illegal to trick-or-treat in the UK?

It is not illegal to trick-or-treat in the UK and there is no minimum age for children to be out alone, however, parents and carers should be advised to always have one responsible adult with each group of children out and about over Halloween.

Aside from this, there is also some advice you should follow to respect your local community.

Stephen Rimmer and Co solicitors comment: “If you don't want to annoy your Trick or Treat victims, then make sure you get the whole event over and done with by early evening.

“A knock on the door at 11pm could make more vulnerable householders feel very frightened.

“In that instance, they have every right to contact the police if they feel uneasy or that the trick' could be more sinister.”

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On rare occasions, some people might conduct an act of anti-social behaviour when trick-or-treating.

The solicitors add: “Trick or Treat is usually fairly benign, but if a householder feels intimidated by the behaviour of older Halloween pranksters, or if that spooky party next door is going on into the small hours, then the police do have the authority to deal with it as they would with any other kind of anti-social behaviour.

“Remember that not everyone gets into the spirit of Halloween, and if a householder refuses to open the door or asks Trick or Treaters to leave their property, they have that right.

“If your property is damaged as a result of a trick' then you may be able to make a claim for damages against the individual or, if they're a minor, their parents.

“If the damage is considerable, or you fear that things are getting out of hand then our advice is always to call the police and let them handle it.

How old will your children be before you let them go trick-or-treating without an adult? (Image: Getty)

“Criminal damage is a criminal, not a civil matter, so it should be left to the authorities to handle.

“If you have security cameras then any footage you capture may be used as evidence further down the line.”

How do I stop trick-or-treaters from knocking?

If you don’t want any visitors this Halloween, you can signal to trick-or-treaters to avoid your house.

This includes having no themed decorations visible, turning lights off at the front of your house and putting up a ‘no trick-or-treat’ poster in your window.