Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Jun 30, 2025

New law in Britain raises minimum marriage age to 18 in England and Wales

New law in Britain raises minimum marriage age to 18 in England and Wales

The legal age of marriage and civil partnerships has been raised to 18 in England and Wales.

Previously, people could get married at 16 or 17 as long as they had parental consent.

The new law also applies to cultural or religious marriages that are not registered with the local council.

Conservative MP Pauline Latham, who introduced the bill to Parliament, said it would "transform the life chances of many girls".

Under the new rules, children will not face penalties but adults who facilitate their marriage could face up to seven years in jail and a fine.

This would include adults who took children abroad to carry out the marriage.

Backed by the government, the bill has sailed through Parliament with very little opposition - and will receive Royal Assent later this week, meaning it will become law.

Payzee Malika, who was coerced into a marriage, said: "Today, tears of joy roll down my face because I know what this means for girls like me."

While Payzee escaped her marriage, her sister Banaz was murdered in a so-called honour killing.

"There has not been a single moment in this journey when Banaz was not at the forefront of my thoughts," she tweeted.

"Every day I thought of her. I fought for her. This law could have saved her."

Mihai Calin Bica, of the Roma Support Group, said the bill was "a good initiative to protect our youth", but the group expressed concern "about how it will be applied in practice".

It noted that in Roma communities the word "married" was often used to explain boyfriend-girlfriend relationships their children have.

They warned this could create complications when enforcing the law and urged the government to run an educational campaign aimed at raising awareness of the new rules.

The new law will not affect the validity of any marriages or civil partnerships that happened before the legislation comes into force.

It does not apply to Northern Ireland and Scotland, where the minimum age will stay at 16 - in Northern Ireland you still need parental consent to marry at 16, but in Scotland you don't.


Analysis

By Rajdeep Sandhu, BBC Westminster correspondent

The bill might have sped through Parliament without much opposition, but it has taken years for campaigners to get to this stage.

The hope is this new law will empower young people who are at risk, and the threat of prison will act as a deterrent for those trying to arrange any marriage for under-18s.

But it will take time for that information to trickle through to the communities it will most effect.

That's a worry for those who represent the Roma community who want an educational campaign to raise awareness of the new rules.

But those who have broken free from their child marriages have told me they think this law will make all the difference for children who most need it.


Forced marriage: 'I should've been protected'


Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
×