Legitimacy Act 2015

8, 9 & 10 Max. c. 1

An Act to amend the law relating to persons born out of wedlock.

[31 December 2015]

Be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

1. Legitimacy of all children

(1) Every person is the legitimate child of his or her natural parents, regardless of whether they were married at the time of his or her conception or birth.

(2) Accordingly, no person is excluded from the succession to any right, title, dignity, property or interest in property by reason that he or she, or any other person, was born illegitimate.

2. Presumption of paternity

This Act does not affect the rebuttable presumption that a man who is married to a person’s mother at the time of the person’s birth is the person’s father.

3. Repeal

The Peerages Act 2009 is repealed.

4. Short title

This Act may be cited as the Legitimacy Act 2015.