Children under five among forced marriage cases, Home Office data shows
New Home Office figures show 27 children aged five and under were referred to the forced marriage unit between 2021 and 2025, with Pakistani nationals making up 41% of cases.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The Home Office has published new data showing that children as young as five, and possibly younger, are being referred to the government's forced marriage unit. Between 2021 and 2025, 27 children aged five and under were among at least 100 children under 12 referred to the unit. Last year, the unit handled 406 cases, of which 87 involved children aged 15 and under. Overall, 40% of all cases involved under-18s.
The figures also reveal a significant cultural dimension. Pakistani nationals accounted for 41% of all cases, followed by Bangladesh at 9% and Afghanistan at 7%. A further 14% of cases were UK-only but were believed to be from cultures associated with those foreign nations. The Home Office also expressed concern that forced marriage is being used as a tool of LGBT conversion therapy, with families attempting to "cure" gay children by forcing them into marriage. In 2025, 18% of cases involved victims whose mental capacity to consent to marriage was in doubt.
Dame Jasvinder Sanghera, who escaped a forced marriage at 15, said the statistics did not surprise her. She described how children are often promised to someone from birth, and that the practice of first cousin marriage can lead to babies being betrothed. She criticised the lack of prosecutions since forced marriage became a criminal offence in 2013, and questioned what the government is doing to hold family members to account. She also highlighted that child marriage is now illegal in England and Wales, with the law coming into force in February 2023, but said the authorities are not implementing it.
The data has been described as "damning" and raises serious questions about safeguarding and cultural acceptance. Sanghera argued that there is a fear of treading on cultural toes, and that forced marriage is not being framed as a child protection concern. She called for the government to explain where the children are and whether they have been returned to their families.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | GB News |
|---|---|
| 27 children aged 5 and under were referred to the forced marriage unit between 2021 and 2025. | |
| 40% of all forced marriage cases involved under-18s. | |
| In 2025, 18% of forced marriage cases involved victims whose mental capacity to consent to marriage was in doubt. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
GB News focused on the cultural origins of the issue, particularly the high proportion of Pakistani cases, and used the guest's personal story to highlight the emotional and systemic failures. The tone was critical of government inaction and emphasised the mental capacity and LGBT conversion therapy angles as particularly disturbing.
- “Pakistan is routinely the focused country for this unit, making up an incredible 41% of all cases.”
- “Where is the government on the fact that we have had a criminal offense of forced marriage since 2013? Where are the convictions?”
- “The statistic does not surprise me.”
Broadcast Timeline
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