In message , at 12:38:11 on Tue, 20 Mar
2012, Mizter T remarked:
---quote---
Credit cards

Under 18s can normally only get a credit card as an additional
cardholder – for example on a parent’s credit card account. This
age group are not usually granted access to credit themselves because,
under existing legislation, under-18-year-olds do not have the capacity
to enter into a contract, which is a pre-requisite for a credit
product. Some credit card companies, however, will not give credit
cards to under-18s even as additional cardholders.

Charge cards

The same rules apply to charge cards as to credit cards.

Unfortunately that last part is completely wrong (which is an issue
because it's the very thing this thread has been about).

Solo and Electron (and now VISA Debit) are precisely the debit cards
which *are* given to under 18's in their own right in the UK.

--
Roland Perry