The Marriage Act 1949 prohibits marriage between certain close relatives; this is referred to as marriages within prohibited degrees. The prohibited degrees of relationship are listed in Schedule 1 of the Act, and include parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren and aunts/uncles and nieces/nephews. These existing statutory provisions already make clear that such marriages are not valid in the eyes of the law.

Parents are free to choose the childcare that is right for them and their children. However, the restriction on funding relatives is set out in the Childcare Act (2006). Section 18(4) of this Act specifically excludes care provided for a child by a parent or other relative. This approach avoids creating an incentive for adults to register to become childminders and be paid to look after related children that they are already looking after on an informal basis.

​A local authority can choose to fund a childminder providing childcare for a related child, but this would have to be from the local authority’s funds independent of the dedicated schools grant.

​Flexibilities within staff to child ratios can be used to enable childminders who are caring for related children, to avoid limiting the income they can earn. We currently have no plans to change this long-standing position.

The Ministry of Justice does not collect data on the recognition of particular types of marriage.

The National Disease Registration Service has the responsibility to collect information pertaining to congenital conditions and continuously works with providers to improve data quality and completeness, including for the data item on consanguinity.

This includes ongoing data quality and data liaison activities and adopting a multisource approach to data collection.

I apologise to the Rt. Hon. Member for the delay in responding to his questions of 19 May and 19 June, and I refer him respectively to the answers he received on 9 June in response to Question 1717 and on 17 June in response to Question 8796.

I apologise to the Rt. Hon. Member for the delay in responding to his questions of 19 May and 19 June, and I refer him respectively to the answers he received on 9 June in response to Question 1717 and on 17 June in response to Question 8796.

We will work with carers and families on the Modern Service Framework for Severe Mental Illness. The Department has been working closely with charities representing people with lived experience and directly with individuals with lived experience throughout the development of the Modern Service Framework. This has been guided and supported by Jo Lomani, who is a co-chair on the Modern Service Framework and is a national mental health co-production lead and expert by lived and living experience.

The Mental Health Act 2025, which received Royal Assent in December 2025, strengthens the rights of patients subject to the act as well as their representatives. In particular it provides clarity around responsibilities for section 117 aftercare, introduces the new role of Nominated Person in place of the Nearest Relative in order to improve patient choice, and introduces an opt out system for Independent Mental Health Advocacy services so that every patient will be made aware of their right to an advocate.

The change from Nearest Relative to Nominated Person allows the patient to choose who will support them when they are detained, rather than this being an automatic assignment from a hierarchical list. Patients can choose family and carers or anyone else whom they trust. If they choose a person who is not their carer, the carer will still be involved in the patient's care, for example, the responsible clinician must consult with the carer on the patient's care and treatment plan.

The provisions of the new act will commence under a phased approach to ensure system readiness. To support such readiness, the revised Mental Health Act Code of Practice will provide statutory guidance to National Health Service mental health providers on all policies covered in the new act, including on how to ensure that families and carers are involved in the patient's care and treatment.

The Mental Health Act 2025, which received Royal Assent in December 2025, strengthens the rights of patients subject to the act as well as their representatives. In particular it provides clarity around responsibilities for section 117 aftercare, introduces the new role of Nominated Person in place of the Nearest Relative in order to improve patient choice, and introduces an opt out system for Independent Mental Health Advocacy services so that every patient will be made aware of their right to an advocate.

The change from Nearest Relative to Nominated Person allows the patient to choose who will support them when they are detained, rather than this being an automatic assignment from a hierarchical list. Patients can choose family and carers or anyone else whom they trust. If they choose a person who is not their carer, the carer will still be involved in the patient's care, for example, the responsible clinician must consult with the carer on the patient's care and treatment plan.

The provisions of the new act will commence under a phased approach to ensure system readiness. To support such readiness, the revised Mental Health Act Code of Practice will provide statutory guidance to National Health Service mental health providers on all policies covered in the new act, including on how to ensure that families and carers are involved in the patient's care and treatment.

Those wishing to live with a family member need a family visa. Those seeking to come to the UK as a partner or spouse must show that any marriage is valid and that they are in a genuine and subsisting relationship, as set out in the Immigration Rules.

The Family Immigration Rules require that partners must not be closely related but do not prohibit cousin marriage in line with UK legislation.

The joint Home Office and Foreign Office Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) works to combat forced marriage both at home and abroad. Where an immigration application raises concerns that a marriage may have been forced, these are considered as part of the individual case and may be referred to the FMU. Statistics on forced marriage are set out here: Forced Marriage Unit statistics 2025 - GOV.UK.

Those wishing to live with a family member need a family visa. Those seeking to come to the UK as a partner or spouse must show that any marriage is valid and that they are in a genuine and subsisting relationship, as set out in the Immigration Rules.

The Family Immigration Rules require that partners must not be closely related but do not prohibit cousin marriage in line with UK legislation.

The joint Home Office and Foreign Office Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) works to combat forced marriage both at home and abroad. Where an immigration application raises concerns that a marriage may have been forced, these are considered as part of the individual case and may be referred to the FMU. Statistics on forced marriage are set out here: Forced Marriage Unit statistics 2025 - GOV.UK.

Those wishing to live with a family member need a family visa. Those seeking to come to the UK as a partner or spouse must show that any marriage is valid and that they are in a genuine and subsisting relationship, as set out in the Immigration Rules.

The Family Immigration Rules require that partners must not be closely related but do not prohibit cousin marriage in line with UK legislation.

The joint Home Office and Foreign Office Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) works to combat forced marriage both at home and abroad. Where an immigration application raises concerns that a marriage may have been forced, these are considered as part of the individual case and may be referred to the FMU. Statistics on forced marriage are set out here: Forced Marriage Unit statistics 2025 - GOV.UK.

The Government recognises the serious concerns that have been raised on the issue of first cousin marriage. As any responsible Government would do, we must look at whether legislation is the best solution to tackle first cousin marriage or whether education and community engagement are better options.

As a matter of course, the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Health and Social Care work collaboratively on the topic of cousin marriage, including on the congenital birth defects posed to children of closely related parents.

The Government recognises the serious concerns that have been raised on the issue of first cousin marriage. As any responsible Government would do, we must look at whether legislation is the best solution to tackle first cousin marriage or whether education and community engagement are better options.

As a matter of course, the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Health and Social Care work collaboratively on the topic of cousin marriage, including on the congenital birth defects posed to children of closely related parents.

The Government does not collect data on the prevalence of first cousin marriage. The evidence referenced in WPQ 16079 relates to longitudinal research from the Born in Bradford programme which shows that rates of consanguineous relationships have fallen substantially over time.

As a matter of course, officials at the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Health and Social Care work collaboratively on the topic of cousin marriage, including on the risk of congenital birth defects posed to children of closely related parents.

We recognise the serious concerns that have been raised on this issue. As any responsible Government would do, we will be considering all options on how to tackle first cousin marriage.

The Government does not collect data on the prevalence of first cousin marriage. The evidence referenced in WPQ 16079 relates to longitudinal research from the Born in Bradford programme which shows that rates of consanguineous relationships have fallen substantially over time.

As a matter of course, officials at the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Health and Social Care work collaboratively on the topic of cousin marriage, including on the risk of congenital birth defects posed to children of closely related parents.

We recognise the serious concerns that have been raised on this issue. As any responsible Government would do, we will be considering all options on how to tackle first cousin marriage.

The Government does not collect data on the prevalence of first cousin marriage. The evidence referenced in WPQ 16079 relates to longitudinal research from the Born in Bradford programme which shows that rates of consanguineous relationships have fallen substantially over time.

As a matter of course, officials at the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Health and Social Care work collaboratively on the topic of cousin marriage, including on the risk of congenital birth defects posed to children of closely related parents.

We recognise the serious concerns that have been raised on this issue. As any responsible Government would do, we will be considering all options on how to tackle first cousin marriage.

The Government has announced that it intends to reform weddings law when parliamentary time allows.

The reforms are intended to make weddings law fairer, simpler and more modern, whilst protecting the dignity and significance of marriage. The aim is to launch a consultation before summer recess, which begins on 16 July 2026. It will focus on how people get married, rather than who is legally permitted to marry.

As set out in the answer of 11 November 2024, the Sexual Offences Act 2003 makes sexual activity with certain family members a criminal offence, but this does not include first cousins. Placing restrictions on first cousin marriage would require changes to the Marriage Act 1949 and could potentially require changes to the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

While the evidence is limited, it does suggest that there may be an increased risk of congenital birth defects to children whose parents are first cousins. We welcome evidence suggesting that the number of first cousins choosing to marry in England is declining.

A marriage between an uncle and niece falls within the prohibited degrees of relationship set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Marriage Act 1949 and, by virtue of section 1(1) of that Act, is void for all purposes in England and Wales. There is similar legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland.