Same-sex Marriage in The United Kingdom

Same-sex Marriage In The United Kingdom

Performed in some jurisdictions

Brazil: Bahia Mexico: Mexico City, ROO United States: CT, DC, IA, MA, MD†, ME†, NH, NY, VT, WA†, Coquille, Suquamish

Recognized, not performed

Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten Israel Mexico: all states United States: CA, RI

Civil unions and registered partnerships
Andorra Austria Brazil Colombia Czech Republic Ecuador Finland France Germany Greenland Hungary Ireland Isle of Man Jersey Liechtenstein Luxembourg New Zealand Slovenia Switzerland United Kingdom Uruguay
Performed in some jurisdictions
Australia: ACT, NSW, QLD, TAS, VIC Mexico: COA United States: CA, CO, DE, HI, IL, NJ, NV, OR, RI, WI Venezuela: Mérida

Unregistered cohabitation
Australia Croatia Israel

See also
Same-sex union legislation Timeline of same-sex marriage Recognition of same-sex unions in Europe Recognition of same-sex unions in South America Marriage privatization Domestic partnership Military policy Listings by country

†Note: Law not yet in effect LGBT portal

Same-sex marriage is not legal in the United Kingdom. Marriage laws vary in the four countries of the United Kingdom. Since 2005, same-sex couples are allowed to enter into civil partnerships, a separate union which provides the legal consequences of marriage. In 2006, the High Court rejected a legal bid by a British lesbian couple who had married in Canada to have their union recognised as a marriage in the UK and not as a civil partnership.

During the Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 2010, all the leadership candidates endorsed same-sex marriage as Labour Party policy. On 21 September 2010, the Liberal Democrats, a junior member of the governing coalition, officially endorsed same-sex marriage when the party's conference in Liverpool approved a policy motion called "Equal Marriage in the United Kingdom". In February 2011, the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government expressed its intention to begin a consultation to allow both religious same-sex ceremonies and civil marriage for same-sex couples. In September 2011, the Government announced its intention to introduce same-sex civil marriage by the next general election. This policy has been controversial with many religious organisations, notably the Church of England, which is concerned that the legalisation of same-sex marriage would undermine its status.