Cousin Marriage: Legal Under Uk Law?

Many people assume that cousins cannot marry in the UK, but this is a misconception. In England and Wales, cousins can marry and there is no legal restriction on the marriage of first cousins. However, the law prohibits certain blood relatives, step-relatives, and relatives-in-law from marrying or becoming civil partners. For example, a woman cannot marry her grandfather or uncle, and a man cannot marry his daughter or sister. These prohibitions are based on the concept of consanguinity, or blood relationships, including half-blood relatives. While it is legal for cousins to marry in the UK, it is not encouraged due to the potential genetic risks associated with having children.

Can cousins marry under UK law?

It is legal to marry your cousin in the UK

The law in the UK prohibits certain blood relatives, step-relatives, and relatives-in-law from marrying or entering into civil partnerships. However, cousins are not included in this list of prohibited relationships. The legislation is similar across the UK, with slight differences in Scotland.

The prohibited degrees of kinship are outlined in Section 1 of the Marriage Act 1949, which includes relatives such as parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews. However, cousins are not mentioned in this section, meaning it is legal to marry your cousin.

It is important to note that while marrying your cousin is legal in the UK, there are potential medical risks associated with having children with your cousin. Consanguineous relationships, or relationships between close relatives, can increase the likelihood of genetic disorders in offspring due to a smaller gene pool. As such, while it may be legal to marry your cousin, it is not encouraged due to the potential health risks for any children resulting from the relationship.

Marriage is a legally binding contract

In England and Wales, cousins are allowed to marry. The Prohibited degrees of kinship are outlined in the Marriage Act 1949 and the Civil Partnerships Act 2003, and neither of these prohibits cousins from marrying. It is also not illegal for first cousins to have sex according to the Sexual Offences Act 2003. However, it is important to note that marrying one's cousin is not encouraged due to the potential health risks of having children with a smaller genetic pool.

Despite this, there are certain blood relatives, step-relatives, and relatives-in-law who are prohibited from marrying or entering into civil partnerships. This includes relationships such as grandparents, parents, children, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews. These prohibitions are outlined in the Marriage Acts, with the most recent update in 1986.

In addition to these restrictions, there are also age requirements for marriage. Both parties must be over the age of 18 to marry in the UK, and over 16 to register as civil partners. If either party is under 21 and/or they are related as 'in-laws', they cannot marry or form a civil partnership if any person originally involved in creating the 'in-law' relationship is still alive.

There are certain rules and regulations about who you can and cannot marry

The prohibited degrees of kinship are outlined in the Marriage Act 1949 and the Civil Partnerships Act 2003. While these acts prohibit certain relationships, such as a man marrying his mother, daughter, sister, aunt, or niece, they do not explicitly forbid cousins from marrying. As a result, it is legal in England and Wales for cousins to marry.

However, it is important to note that there are cultural taboos surrounding cousin marriages. Many people assume that it is illegal due to the potential genetic risks associated with having children. The likelihood of a child having health problems is greater when the genetic pool of the parents is small. While it is not illegal, marrying one's cousin is not encouraged due to these potential health risks.

In addition to the legal restrictions on marriage, there are also age requirements that must be met. In the UK, individuals must be over the age of 18 to marry, and similar requirements may apply to foreign marriages involving UK citizens.

The law prohibits certain blood relatives, step relatives and relatives-in-law from marrying

In the UK, the law prohibits certain blood relatives, step-relatives, and relatives-in-law from marrying or registering as civil partners. This applies to the whole of the UK, including Guernsey, Jersey, and the Isle of Man.

The legislation is slightly different in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK, but the same provisions generally apply. A person cannot marry or become civil partners with their:

• Mother or father
• Daughter or son
• Grandmother or grandfather
• Granddaughter or grandson
• Sister or brother
• Aunt or uncle
• Niece or nephew

This also includes half-blood relatives and in-laws. For example, a woman cannot marry her grandfather or uncle, and a man cannot marry his daughter or sister.

However, it is important to note that there are some exceptions to these prohibitions. If both parties are over 16 years of age, they can marry, and if both are over 21, they can register as civil partners. Additionally, if the younger person was never a child in the older person's family before turning 18, they can also marry or become civil partners.

In the UK, it is legal for first cousins to marry. This is because the prohibited degrees of kinship outlined in the Marriage Act 1949 and the Civil Partnerships Act 2003 do not include cousins.

There are no legal restrictions on the marriage of first cousins

In the UK, certain blood relatives, step-relatives, and relatives-in-law are prohibited by law from marrying or entering civil partnerships. However, there are no legal restrictions on the marriage of first cousins. While many people assume that marrying one's cousin is illegal, this is not the case in the UK.

The prohibited degrees of kinship are outlined in Section 1 of the Marriage Act 1949, which includes specific relatives that individuals are forbidden from marrying. This act confirmed previous acts and included half-blood relatives. The 1986 Marriage Act further updated these regulations.

The Marriage Act 1949 specifies that a man may not marry his mother, daughter, grandmother, granddaughter, sister, half-sister, aunt, half-aunt, niece, or half-niece. Similarly, a woman is prohibited from marrying her father, son, grandfather, grandson, brother, half-brother, uncle, half-uncle, nephew, or half-nephew. The act also addresses adopted children, prohibiting a man from marrying his adoptive mother or former adoptive mother, as well as his adopted daughter or former adopted daughter.

While first cousins are not included in the prohibited degrees of kinship outlined in the Marriage Act 1949, it is worth noting that marrying one's cousin is generally discouraged due to potential genetic risks associated with having children. Consanguineous marriages, or marriages between close relatives, can result in a higher likelihood of genetic disorders or health issues in offspring due to a reduced genetic diversity within the family.

Frequently asked questions