At that age persons are considered to acquire capacity in full to enter into legally binding contracts (thus to hold a credit card and take out a loan), to vote in elections, to buy tobacco and cigarettes and have a tattoo.
[2] At the age of 10, in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland a child is deemed criminally responsible and may be tried in a court of law.
With parental consent they may do things such as - join the British Army, Royal Navy or other associated roles, and drink beer, wine, cider or mead with a meal in a restaurant, for example.
Without parental consent, they may leave home, work in full-time employment, engage in consensual sexual activity (with anyone aged 16 or over), smoke (but not purchase) cigarettes, as well as have full capacity over medical treatment and decisions associated, obtain a licence to drive certain vehicles, and open a bank account.
Until that time a ward could be forced to marry a person of the warder's choosing, often his own child, and the resultant progeny would inherit the property formerly subject to the wardship at their father's death, usually regulated by the marriage settlement.