200 Years of LGBTQIA+ History

From Shadows to Pride — UK & Global Timeline

Source Record

Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019

Why this source is used

Primary regulations enabling civil same-sex marriage and opposite-sex civil partnerships in Northern Ireland law.

Start with the answer

Start with the answer When was homosexuality legalised in the UK? If by legalised you mean partial decriminalisation of sex between men, England and Wales changed the law in 1967. The UK did not reach equality in one step: Scotland, Northern Ireland, age-of-consent reform and later partnership and marriage recognition followed through separate legal routes. Start with the answer When was same-sex marriage legalised in the UK? Same-sex marriage was legalised across the UK in stages, with England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland reaching implementation at different times. Read the topic guide Marriage Equality in the UK Marriage equality arrived across the UK in stages, with legislation for England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland taking effect at different times.

Source Status

Publisher
The National Archives / legislation.gov.uk
Type
legal
Reliability
high
Cited by
8 pages

Source Links

Open original source https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2019/1514 Accessed 20 May 2026

Used by Topics

Marriage Equality in the UK

Used by Questions

When was homosexuality legalised in the UK? When was same-sex marriage legalised in the UK?

Used by Laws

Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019

Used by Timeline Events

2013-2020 CulturalLegalUK

Equal Marriage Legalised Across the UK

Marriage equality arrived across the UK through staged legal reform. The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 received Royal Assent for England and Wales, Scotland legislated through the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014, and Northern Ireland followed through 2019 regulations that took effect in January 2020.
13 January 2020 CulturalLegalUK

Same-Sex Marriage Becomes Legal in Northern Ireland

Civil same-sex marriage became lawful in Northern Ireland on 13 January 2020, after regulations made under section 8 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019 changed the law. The change followed years of campaigning and completed the legal route to civil marriage equality across the UK.