Humanists UK has welcomed the Government’s commitment to legally recognise humanist marriages in England and Wales, as a consultation on the reform of marriage law in England and Wales closes today. Our celebrants are ready to meet the demands of the 50,000 couples each year the Government estimates would choose a legal humanist wedding.
The experience of our nearest neighbours shows what is possible. In Scotland, humanist marriages have been legal since 2005, and humanist weddings now outnumber all religious weddings combined. In Northern Ireland, legal recognition came in 2018, and humanist weddings already make up around one in seven marriages. Last year Northern Ireland celebrated its 5,000th legal wedding. The popularity and demand for humanist marriages is unquestionable.
For many decades, humanist couples in England and Wales have had to hold a separate civil ceremony if they want their marriage to be legal. The Government’s proposed marriage reforms bring the end of that unfairness within sight. It is, however, within the Government’s gift to bring about legal marriage here more quickly: it already has the power to do so under the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, and Humanists UK calls on the Government to do so.
Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of Humanists UK, commented:
‘This is a significant moment for the many thousands of couples who have waited too long to have a legally recognised humanist wedding. Couples in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Jersey, and Guernsey already have that right, and it’s high time for the discrimination faced by humanists to end here. Our trained and accredited celebrants already do conduct meaningful non-religious ceremonies day in, day out, and stand ready to do so legally as soon as we are able. ’
‘The Government has within its gift the power to act even faster than planned and grant legal recognition without delay, which would be transformative for humanist couples in planning their special day. We urge it to do so.’
Notes
Learn more about what a humanist wedding is.
Read more about our work on humanist marriages.
For further comment or information, media should contact Humanists UK Head of Press and Campaign Communications Nathan Stilwell at press@humanists.uk or phone 0203 675 0959 (media only).
Legal recognition of humanist marriages in local jurisdictions
Humanist marriages gained legal recognition in Scotland in 2005, where since 2022 more humanist weddings have been conducted each year than religious marriages of all kinds combined. They also gained legal recognition in the Republic of Ireland in 2012; in Northern Ireland in 2018, following a Court of Appeal ruling that concluded that a failure to do so would be a breach of human rights and now make up 1 in 7 marriages there; in Jersey in 2019; and in Guernsey in 2021.
In England and Wales, however, humanist couples must have an unwanted additional civil ceremony for their marriage to be legally recognised. A change in law has been under constant Government review since 2013. The Marriage Act gave the Government the power to enact legal recognition of humanist marriages by Order – which would take as little time as 90 minutes in each the House of Commons and House of Lords. But in the years since, the Government has not done this. Instead the matter has been reviewed three times, most recently by the Law Commission, which published its report in July 2022. The previous Government did not issue its response before the General Election was called.
Labour supported legal recognition of humanist marriages by Order since 2014 while in opposition. But now in power, the new government said it needed more time to set out a position while it considered the Law Commission’s proposals. It has now responded and consulted on its proposals to reform marriage law in the round. After the conclusion of the consultation process, it will introduce legislation to reform marriage law when parliamentary time allows.
Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 150,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We provide ceremonies, pastoral care, education, and support services benefitting over a million people every year and our campaigns advance humanist thinking on ethical issues, human rights, and equal treatment for all.