The 1960s are remembered as the Swinging Sixties, a decade when British culture and society seemed to transform — particularly for young people.

Money and Youth

The post-war economy boomed, with near full employment. For the first time, teenagers had real spending power, and businesses rushed to sell them music, clothes and magazines. The end of National Service meant young men were no longer called up into the army.

Music and Fashion

Britain led a global pop explosion through bands like The Beatles and the Rolling Stones. In fashion, designers such as Mary Quant popularised the mini skirt, models like Twiggy became stars, and London districts like Carnaby Street and the King's Road became famous around the world.

The Permissive Society and the Law

The arrival of the contraceptive Pill in 1961 gave women greater control over when to have children. A series of liberal reforms in the late 1960s legalised abortion, made divorce easier, decriminalised homosexuality, and abolished the death penalty. Race Relations Acts tried to tackle discrimination, and universities expanded rapidly.

A New Culture

Television reached almost every home, satire mocked those in authority, and a confident youth culture emerged that openly challenged the more formal, deferential attitudes of their parents' generation.

Year 9 Democracy and Dictatorship

The Swinging Sixties: What Changed?