Family in United Kingdom

Definition of Family

In accordance with the work A Dictionary of Law, this is a description of Family :

A group of people connected by a close relationship. For legal purposes a family is usually limited to relationships by blood, marriage, or adoption, although sometimes (e.g. for social security purposes) statute expressly includes other people, such as common-law wives (See common-law marriage). The courts have interpreted the word “family” to include unmarried couples living as husband and wife in permanent and stable relationships. In the past, gay couples have always been excluded from the definitio However, in a recent case the court interpreted the word “family” in the Rent Act 1977 to include the gay partner of a deceased tenant.