The Child Benefit (General) Regulations 2003

Polygamous marriages

35.—(1) For the purposes of Part 9 of the Contributions and Benefits Act and Part 9 of the Contributions and Benefits (NI) Act, a polygamous marriage is treated as having the same consequences as a monogamous marriage for any day, but only for any day, throughout which the polygamous marriage is in fact monogamous.

(2) In paragraph (1)—

(a) “polygamous marriage” means a marriage celebrated under a law which, as it applies to the particular ceremony and to the parties thereto, permits polygamy;

(b) “monogamous marriage” means a marriage celebrated under a law which does not permit polygamy;

(c) a polygamous marriage is referred to as being in fact monogamous when neither party to it has any spouse additional to the other; and

(d) the day on which a polygamous marriage is contracted, or on which it terminates for any reason, shall be treated as a day throughout which that marriage was in fact monogamous if at all times on that day after it was contracted, or as the case may be, before it terminated, it was in fact monogamous.