Minimum marriage age raised to 18 in England and Wales
The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 raised the minimum age of marriage and civil partnership to 18 in England and Wales. The change ended the previous ability of 16- and 17-year-olds to marry or enter a civil partnership with parental or judicial consent.
The legislation also expanded the forced-marriage offence so that, in England and Wales, it is an offence to do anything intended to cause a child under 18 to enter a marriage, even where coercion does not need to be proved. The offence can apply to ceremonies that are not legally binding, including community or traditional ceremonies.
The change came into force in February 2023.
Freedom Charity’s role
Freedom Charity campaigned publicly against forced marriage and child marriage and supported raising the minimum age. Aneeta Prem MBE and the charity spoke publicly about the safeguarding risks faced by children.
The Act itself was the result of a wider parliamentary and legislative process involving MPs and peers, government departments, campaigners, charities, professionals and people with lived experience. Freedom Charity’s campaigning should be understood as part of that wider effort rather than as the sole cause of the legal change.
Why the distinction matters
Forced marriage and child marriage overlap but are not identical concepts. A forced marriage is one in which one or both people do not, or cannot, consent and pressure or abuse is used. The 2022 Act also created additional protection for people under 18 by making it unlawful to cause a child to marry in the circumstances covered by the legislation even without proving coercion.
Current guidance
For current safeguarding information, warning signs and routes to help, see Freedom Charity’s Forced Marriage page.
Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022
Ministry of Justice: implementation of the Act
Reviewed 21 September 2026.