Is it illegal to take photos of people in the UK?

Generally no. There is no general law in England and Wales prohibiting photography in public places, including photographs of people. However, specific circumstances can make photography unlawful: voyeurism, upskirting, photographing children for sexual purposes, and certain security locations.

The law

Sexual Offences Act 2003, Section 67. Voyeurism: observing or recording a person in a private act for sexual gratification. Maximum 2 years.
Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019, Section 1. Upskirting: operating equipment beneath clothing to capture images of genitals or buttocks without consent. Maximum 2 years.
Protection of Children Act 1978, Section 1. Offence to take, distribute, or possess indecent photographs of children under 18. Maximum 10 years.
Terrorism Act 2000, Section 58A. Offence to collect information about a constable likely to be useful to a terrorist. Photography of officers is generally not captured.

What to do

In public spaces you are generally free to photograph people, buildings, and police officers.
If challenged by a police officer, politely clarify that photography in public is not an offence. You are not required to delete images.
Never photograph in private spaces, beneath clothing, or in ways that could amount to voyeurism or harassment.
If you have been photographed without consent in a way that causes distress, report it to the police, who can consider harassment, voyeurism, or upskirting offences.

In detail

Photography in public spaces is, as a general principle, lawful in England and Wales. There is no specific statute that prohibits taking photographs of people in public without their consent. Police officers, members of the public, and private individuals can all be photographed without permission provided the photographer is in a public place and the photography does not breach any specific prohibition.

Where photography is clearly lawful

Standing on a public street, pavement, or park and photographing people, buildings, police operations, or public events is a lawful activity. This principle was affirmed by the Metropolitan Police's own guidance following concerns about misuse of counterterrorism stop-and-search powers against photographers.

Section 58A of the Terrorism Act 2000 made it an offence to elicit, publish, or communicate information about a constable likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism. However, this section is narrowly construed: lawful press photography and general photography of officers in public are not captured by it. The offence requires proof that the information would be useful to a terrorist and that the defendant had no reasonable excuse.

Specific offences that can arise from photography

Voyeurism is an offence under s.67 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. A person commits voyeurism by observing another person doing a private act, operating equipment to enable another to observe a private act, or recording a private act, for sexual gratification. A "private act" means one taking place in a location where privacy would reasonably be expected, such as a changing room, bathroom, or bedroom. The maximum sentence is two years' imprisonment.

Upskirting became a specific criminal offence in England and Wales under the Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019. Section 1 makes it an offence to operate equipment beneath another person's clothing without consent to capture an image of their genitals or buttocks, whether or not covered by underwear. The offence can be committed for the purpose of sexual gratification or to cause humiliation, distress, or alarm. The maximum sentence is two years. The most serious cases involving perpetrators who distribute images can result in being placed on the sex offenders register.

Making, distributing, or possessing indecent photographs of children under 18 is an offence under s.1 of the Protection of Children Act 1978. This is one of the most serious photography-related offences: the maximum sentence is ten years' imprisonment on indictment.

Photography at security-sensitive locations

Taking photographs in certain secure locations can attract offences under the Official Secrets Act 1911 or Civil Aviation Act 1982, or byelaws governing specific premises. Photography inside a police station, court, or Crown Court building may also be prohibited by specific rules or court orders.

Harassment and data protection

Persistent, targeted photography of an individual may constitute harassment under s.2 or s.4 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, particularly where it causes alarm or distress. Additionally, where photographs are processed in a way that identifies individuals, data protection obligations under the UK GDPR may apply, though personal photography for domestic purposes is generally exempt.

Private land

On private land, the landowner or occupier can restrict photography as a condition of entry. Photography on private property without permission may amount to trespass, though trespass is generally a civil rather than criminal matter.

The position on public photography is permissive: the activity is lawful unless a specific statutory offence, court order, byelaw, or restriction applies.