I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 June 2026 to Question UIN 4348.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 June 2026 to Question UIN 4348.

I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 June 2026 to Question UIN 4348.

Polygamous marriages are not recognised under Universal Credit, and there is no provision within Universal Credit for additional entitlement in respect of multiple spouses.

Polygamous marriages are illegal in the UK. Immigration rules have generally prevented the formation of polygamous households in this country since 1988.

Polygamous marriages are illegal in the UK. Immigration rules have generally prevented the formation of polygamous households in this country since 1988. Under successive governments access to benefit support for additional spouses is only available where the marriage took place in a country where the practice is legal. The Department does not hold information in respect of Pension Credit. However, the most recent published data (August 2025) from the Housing Benefit Single Housing Extract (SHBE) indicates that there are fewer than ten households where claimants are recorded as being in a polygamous marriage formed in another country. In these exceptional cases, there is no financial benefit as more would be paid in benefits if the additional person claimed as a single person. There are no plans to change the existing benefit rules.

Polygamous marriages are illegal in the UK. Immigration rules have generally prevented the formation of polygamous households in this country since 1988. Under successive governments access to benefit support for additional spouses is only available where the marriage took place in a country where the practice is legal. The Department does not hold information in respect of Pension Credit. However, the most recent published data (August 2025) from the Housing Benefit Single Housing Extract (SHBE) indicates that there are fewer than ten households where claimants are recorded as being in a polygamous marriage formed in another country. In these exceptional cases, there is no financial benefit as more would be paid in benefits if the additional person claimed as a single person. There are no plans to change the existing benefit rules.

Polygamous marriages are illegal in the UK. Immigration rules have generally prevented the formation of polygamous households in this country since 1988. Under successive governments access to benefit support for additional spouses is only available where the marriage took place in a country where the practice is legal. The Department does not hold information in respect of Pension Credit. However, the most recent published data (August 2025) from the Housing Benefit Single Housing Extract (SHBE) indicates that there are fewer than ten households where claimants are recorded as being in a polygamous marriage formed in another country. In these exceptional cases, there is no financial benefit as more would be paid in benefits if the additional person claimed as a single person. There are no plans to change the existing benefit rules.

Polygamous marriages are illegal in the UK. Immigration rules have generally prevented the formation of polygamous households in this country since 1988. Under successive governments access to benefit support for additional spouses is only available where the marriage took place in a country where the practice is legal. The Department does not hold information in respect of Pension Credit. However, the most recent published data (August 2025) from the Housing Benefit Single Housing Extract (SHBE) indicates that there are fewer than ten households where claimants are recorded as being in a polygamous marriage formed in another country. In these exceptional cases, there is no financial benefit as more would be paid in benefits if the additional person claimed as a single person. There are no plans to change the existing benefit rules.

Polygamous marriages are illegal in the UK. Immigration rules have generally prevented the formation of polygamous households in this country since 1988. Benefit support is only available where the marriage took place in a country where the practice is legal.

There is no financial benefit in these cases as more would be paid in benefits if the additional spouse claimed as a single person.

It is government policy to prevent the formation of polygamous and polyandrous marriages in the UK. Only one spouse can be included as a dependant, with any subsequent spouses being unable to apply as a partner unless the other spouse has died or the marriage has been dissolved, in accordance with Section 2 of the Immigration Act 1988 and paragraphs 278-279 of the Immigration Rules.

There is no prescribed format of how a polygamous marriage would be recorded in an asylum claim. Therefore, the information requested is not recorded in a reportable format and could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

The most recent published data (August 2025) from the Housing Benefit Single Housing Extract (SHBE) indicates that there are fewer than ten households where claimants are recorded as being in a polygamous marriage formed in another country. In these exceptional cases, there is no financial benefit as more would be paid in benefits if the additional person claimed as a single person.

Polygamous marriages are illegal in the UK. Immigration rules have generally prevented the formation of polygamous households in this country since 1988. Benefit support is only available where the marriage took place in a country where the practice is legal.

Since 1988 rules have been in place under successive governments which limit access to benefits for people in polygamous marriages to those who were married in a country which allows such marriages. Any polygamous relationship formed in the United Kingdom is excluded by these rules and the second or subsequent partner is treated as a non-dependant. People in polygamous relationships where they are not married to the other members of the relationship are also excluded by these rules.

Where a claimant is allowed to claim benefits as part of a polygamous marriage their benefit entitlement is based on the standard amount for couples, plus an amount for each additional partner calculated as the difference between the standard amount for a couple and the standard amount for a single person. There is no financial benefit to someone claiming as part of a polygamous marriage as more would be paid in benefits if the additional person claimed as a single person.

The Pension Credit information that has been requested is not held by the Department. Based off the most recent published data (August 2025) from the Housing Benefit Single Housing Extract (SHBE), there are fewer than ten households where the claimant is recorded as having more than one partner. This has been used as a proxy for polygamous marriage.

Polygamous households are not recognised in Universal Credit. In claims where the claimant identifies as polygamous, the first spousal couple (the two partners who have been married longest) in the relationship could form a claim as a couple. However, all extant members of the relationship living in the household would need to make separate claims.

Benefits such as Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance and Housing Benefit do recognise a small number of polygamous marriages which took place in a jurisdiction where polygamy is permitted. This number is very small and declining. Since the Immigration Act 1988, it has not been possible for people polygamously married overseas to bring second wives to the UK through the spouse visa route.

As such, statistics are not held regarding numbers of claimants presenting as part of a polygamous household and would be disproportionate in cost to produce.

All marriages conducted within the UK must be monogamous under the Marriage Act 1949 and related legislation.

In some countries, polygamous or polyandrous marriages are permitted under the law of the country in which the marriage took place. Under the UK’s Immigration Rules only one spouse from a polygamous marriage can be granted entry or permission to stay in the UK as a partner. Additional spouses are not eligible for partner routes.

No official data is collected on the number of polygamous marriages among applicants.

Bigamy is an offence contrary to section.57 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and is prosecuted as such. The CPS has not issued and has no plans to issue specific guidance.

Polygamous marriages cannot legally be entered into in England and Wales law. We do not hold data on the number of polygamous marriages in England and Wales.

The Immigration Act 2014 extended the marriage notice period from 14 days to 28 days to help prevent sham marriages. The Government has no plans to review this.

The 28-day notice period remains in place not only for administrative reasons but also to support safeguards against sham marriages. While the Law Commission’s 2022 report on weddings law made 57 recommendations for the reform of weddings law, it did not propose changes to the current 28-day duration of the notice period for weddings. As a responsible Government, we need time to consider the Law Commission’s report, and we will set out our position in the coming months.

The Registrar General has a duty to provide an index of all marriages registered in England and Wales, which is available to the public to search and obtain a certified copy of an entry.

The department has no plans to commission research on this issue. It has been the policy of successive governments to prevent the formation of polygamous households in the UK.

This information is not held.

I refer the Hon.Member to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question UIN 15076.

The Home Office does not collect data on polygamous marriages