New Provisions for Remote Parish Meetings

Guidelines permitting Parochial Church Councils to transact business remotely or by a mixture of in-person and remote means in addition to the established practice of in-person meetings are available here.

Minimum age for marriages now 18

From Monday 27th February 2023 the minimum age for marriage in England and Wales is 18 (formerly 16). This is when the substantive provisions of the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 are commenced.

This applies to all marriages (and civil partnerships) and includes those where a legal preliminary was obtained prior to the commencement of the legislation.

The Act does not affect the recognition of any marriages which have already taken place between minors prior to the passing of the legislation.

Marriage Registration changes and new Church Representation Rules

Marriage Registration changes and new Church Representation Rules

The Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act 2019 came into force earlier this year.  It has three main provisions: first, the extension of civil partnerships to couples not of the same sex; second, to allow for the mother’s name to be entered on marriage certificates and registers; and third, to provide for electronic registration of all marriages in England and Wales.

Information is available here: Marriage Registration changes and new Church Representation Rules

 

 

Marriage registration – new procedures

You may already be aware from the media or via social media over the weekend of 10/11 August 2019 that the way in which marriages are registered is set to change following the passing into law of the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act 2019 which, as well as providing for opposite-sex couples to be able to enter into civil partnerships, will allow for mother’s names to be included in Marriage Registers as well as/in place of father’s names. It also makes provision for significant changes in the way that marriages are registered. Full details from the link below

Marriage Registration – Note for Diocesan Registry Website – August 2019

Updated marriage law guidance

From the Faculty Office: Updated marriage law guidance for the clergy: The Second Supplement from the Faculty Office has now been issued. This Supplement is intended to be read alongside the 3rd edition of the Faculty Office marriage guide booklet and the July 2013 First Supplement. It provides an important update to those areas where there have been changes in the law since July 2013, especially on the topic of marriages of non-European nationals in the Church of England. The Supplement is available to download by clicking here. To download the First Supplement, or to buy a copy of the 2010 booklet (3rd edition), visit the Faculty Office website: ‘guidance for the clergy’.