PETITIONRejectedPetition · petition.parliament.uk

Protect Children from Unlawful Religious Marriage Ceremonies in the UK

No CHILD should be trapped in a marriage under the guise of culture or religion. We urge Parliament to investigate and regulate underage religious marriage ceremonies, protect vulnerable minors, and ensure UK law applies equally to all—without exception.

Last fetched 18 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk

Signatures

signatures

Government response threshold (10,000) · 6/10,000

Debate threshold (100,000) · 6/100,000

Petition progress2 events · May – Jun 2025

30 JUN 2025
Petition rejected
already-happening
The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 came into effect in 2023, the Act raised the age of marriage and civil partnership to 18 in England and Wales. This includes non-legally binding ‘traditional’ ceremonies which would still be viewed as marriages by the parties and their families. You can find more information about this here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/legal-age-of-marriage-in-england-and-wales-rises-to-18 Petitions need to call on the Government or Parliament to take a specific action. As the minimum age of marriage is already regulated, it's unclear what you're asking the Government or Parliament to do. You could start a new petition explaining clearly what you would like the Government or Parliament to do.
29 MAY 2025
Petition created

Background

Behind closed doors, underage girls are being subjected to religious marriage ceremonies that violate UK values and law. This abuse hides behind the façade of culture and faith. It’s exploitation—nothing less. We demand accountability: anyone arranging such ceremonies should face prosecution, deportation if non-citizens, and placement on a national watch list to prevent further harm. UK citizens should follow UK law, no other regardless of religion. Enough is Enough! Stop enabling this!