The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 received Royal Assent in 2021 and came into effect on Monday 27 February 2023.

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The Act has raised the age of marriage and civil partnership to 18 in England and Wales to protect children from the scourge of forced marriage.

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This means that 16 to 17-year-olds are no longer be able to marry or enter a civil partnership under any circumstances, including with parental or judicial consent from 26 February 2023. It is no longer possible for anyone under 18 to marry or enter a civil partnership. 

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More information about the The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 can be found by clicking here. 

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