Limits of Marriage Recognition in the English Social Security System and Standards of the European Convention on Human Rights – Analysis in Context of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992
Martyna Świetlińska
The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin , Polandhttps://orcid.org/0009-0001-6680-7785
Abstract
The article presents an analysis of the compatibility of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (SSCBA 1992) with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) based on the case of N.A. Three key issues are considered: (1) whether SSCBA 1992 applies exclusively to marriages recognized as valid under English law, thereby excluding N.A. from benefits; (2) whether such exclusion constitutes a violation of Article 14 of the ECHR in conjunction with Article 1 of Protocol No. 1; and (3) whether these provisions can be interpreted in a manner consistent with the ECHR. SSCBA 1992 conditions entitlement to benefits on marital status, while English law sets formal requirements for marriage recognition. If these provisions restrict access to benefits only to marriages that meet domestic legal requirements, they may lead to discrimination against individuals in situations similar to that of N.A. The case law of the European Court of Human Rights indicates that differential treatment must have an objective and reasonable justification. The article highlights the importance of a purposive interpretation consistent with the Human Rights Act 1998 and, if such interpretation is not feasible, the necessity of legislative intervention. It also discusses the evolution of English law’s approach to polygamy, referencing regulations such as the Matrimonial Proceedings (Polygamous Marriages) Act 1972, which provide legal protection for individuals in polygamous marriages contracted under foreign law, while polygamy itself remains unrecognized within the English legal system.
Keywords:
bigamy, human rights, discrimination, marital status, social security benefitsReferences
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The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6680-7785
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
