Tories Push to Ban Polygamous Marriages from UK Welfare System

The Conservative Party is advocating for new legislation to prohibit the recognition of polygamous marriages within the United Kingdom's welfare system, asserting that taxpayers should not fund individuals with multiple wives. The proposed Social Security (Marriage) Bill seeks to address what proponents call an "extraordinary fault" that allows certain polygamous unions, legally conducted abroad, to be recognized for benefit calculations, including pension credit and housing benefit.

Conservative frontbencher Richard Holden introduced the Private Member's Bill, co-sponsored by prominent party members including leader Kemi Badenoch and shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately. Holden argued in the House of Commons that the bill aims to rectify a "bizarre and indefensible" situation, expressing hope that the government will not oppose the legislation. He emphasized that the benefits system should not provide "special treatment" for men with multiple wives or for marriages that are illegal within the UK, such as those between close relatives.

"Why should my constituents not be more deserving of our attention... when we're bundling cash first-class to men with multiple wives, to overseas uncle-niece marriages," Holden stated. He proposed that the bill would align the welfare system with British values, focusing on "compassion and contribution" rather than funding cultural practices deemed unlawful in the UK. He called it "insane that our welfare rules make special provision for men with many wives."

While marriages conducted within the UK are strictly monogamous, polygamous marriages performed in countries where they are legal can be recognized in the UK. This recognition can, in some cases, permit welfare payments for more than one spouse, though the additional amounts are typically less than what an individual could claim on their own. The bill also seeks to ensure that overseas marriages between close relatives, like uncles and nieces, are unequivocally not recognized for welfare purposes.

In response to a parliamentary inquiry by Holden, the Ministry of Justice indicated that such overseas marriages are "unlikely to be recognized" in the UK. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) stated that it does not collect specific data on polygamous marriages within the benefit system due to the small numbers involved. Recent data suggests fewer than 10 households claim housing benefit while being recorded in a polygamous marriage formed abroad.

A DWP spokesperson maintained that "robust rules" are in place to prevent financial advantage for polygamous households, ensuring fairness. They noted that immigration rules have largely prevented the formation of polygamous households in Britain since 1988, and benefit support is generally limited to marriages legally performed in countries where polygamy is permitted. The DWP believes "very few, if any, polygamous households claim pension credit, housing benefit or any benefit support."