social policies

• allow same sex couples to marry in civil ceremonies 
• allow same sex couples to marry in religous ceremonies, where the relgious organistaion has 'opted in' to conduct such ceremonies and the minister of religion agrees 
• protect those religous organisations and their representatives who dont wish to conduct marriages of same sex couples from succesful legal challenge 
• enable married individuals to change their legal gender without having to end their marriage    

• from 1961 doctors could prescribe the pill for free 
• more widely available for all from 1974 when Family Planning Clinics were allowed to give it out with out prescription 

This act meant that a doctor perfoming an abortion could no longer be prosecuted, so long as it was according to the following conditions;

• it must be carried out before viability, in 1967 this was 28 weeks (but now its is 24 weeks) 
• two doctors must both agree the abortion is lawful

These doctors must agree that continuing the pregnancy would involve either; 

• a risk to the life of the mother 
• a risk of to the physical and mental health of the mother or exsisting children in the family 
• a substantial risk that the child would be severely hanidcapped 

• It came into force during 1975

• Created the Child Support Agency from 1993 
• Now known as the Child Maintainance Service 
• "Each parent of a qualifying child is reponsible for maintaining them" 
  

• It allowed divorce on the grounds of "irretrievable breakdown of marriage" 
• Divorce no longer could only be issued in London 
• (In 1984 the time was changed from a minimum of 3 years of marriage to 1 year - if one partner was at fault)

• It enabled same-sex couples to have a civil partnership 
• This allows them to have the same legal rights as a married couple, suh as inheritance tax, next of kin rights and finally life insurance recogntion 

• Universal Credit/Child Tax Credits Limited to 2 children for any other children born after this date (basically benefits for being out of work or on a very low inome) 
• Exemptions are made for multiple pregnancies and cases of **** 
• Child benefits are NOT  affected by this 
• Parents are expected to be looking for work by the time their youngest child is 3 

• Only avalible if both parents are working and earning the equivalent of 16 hours on minimum wage 

• This brought in a top limit of the amount of benefit that a family can receive in total. It was £26,000 intended to reflect an average wage 
• This was reduced further in November 2016 to £20,000 for a couple (with or without) or a single person with children 

Young people must do one of the following until they turn 18:

•  stay in full-time education, for example at a college
• start an apprenticeship or traineeship
• spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training

• Domestic Violence now includes psychological abuse (such as controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour) 
• It now includes 16-17 year olds, not only over 18s

• Section 47 gives local authorities a 'Duty to Investigate' where there is suspicion that a child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm 

• Up to 50 weeks of leave - 37 weeks of which is paid - can be shared by parents if they meet certain eligibility criteria.
•  Mothers must still take the initial two weeks after birth, but they can then cut their maternity leave short and exchange it for shared parental leave.
• Both parents will then have a flexible choice of how to split up the rest of the leave entitlement - of up to 50 weeks.

• Ms Steinfeld and Mr Keidan campaigned for four years to get the law changed.
• The couple said the "legacy of marriage... treated women as property for centuries & quote; and was not an option for them. 
• & quote ;We want to raise our children as equal partners and feel that a civil partnership - a modern, symmetrical institution - sets the best example for them,