Skins revolves around the lives of a group of 16–18 year-old friends who live in Bristol. The group includes a popular boy, his girlfriend and best friend, a Muslim boy, a gay character, a girl with eating disorder, an intelligent and privileged girl with family problems, and a party animal in love with his teacher.

These characters attend the fictional Roundview Sixth Form College in Bristol. Each installment has a self-contained theme focusing on each different character respectively, but there are several story arcs that span different episodes.