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Underage marriage in the UK has been prohibited by the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022, which has introduced new regulations to prevent this practice and make forced child marriage a criminal offence.
The Act is now in effect in England and Wales, and it forbids 16- and 17-year-olds from marrying or entering into civil partnerships, even if their parents consent to the marriage.
This legal amendment pertains to all types of religious and civil marriages, including those that are not legally binding in places of worship.
Exploiting vulnerable children by arranging for them to marry is now a criminal offence, irrespective of whether or not force was used. This offence is punishable by up to seven years in prison.
Prior to this, forced marriage was only considered an offence if the individual used a form of coercion, such as making threats, to compel someone to get married.
Announcing the change, the Minister for Safeguarding, Sarah Dines MP, emphasised the importance of this new law and said that forced marriage is a violation of human rights and harms vulnerable children’s growth and development.
She pledged to eradicate this exploitative practice and to provide police officers, social workers, and other frontline professionals with the necessary training and guidance to protect and safeguard victims.
If you have any queries about the changes to laws around marriage or need advice on any family law matters, please speak to our family team on 01932 852 057 or by emailing info@meadowsryan.com
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