# Surrogacy UK — Law Reform Campaign
# Organisation: Surrogacy UK (https://surrogacyuk.org)
# Campaign site: https://informededucation.com/surrogacy-campaign/campaign-live.html
# Note: test domain — will move to campaign.surrogacyuk.org

## About

This is the official campaign website for Surrogacy UK's call for Parliament to implement
the Law Commissions' joint draft Surrogacy Bill (2023). The campaign advocates for domestic
UK surrogacy law reform — specifically the altruistic, relationship-based model that UK
families have followed since 2014.

The petition (https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/763161) has passed 100,000 signatures,
triggering the threshold for a parliamentary debate.

## Key facts

- Altruistic surrogacy has been legal in the UK since 1985 (Surrogacy Arrangements Act)
- In March 2023, the Law Commissions of England, Wales and Scotland published a joint final
  report and a fully drafted Surrogacy Bill — it has sat unacted upon for over three years
- 477 parental orders were granted in England and Wales in 2024; 380 in the first three
  quarters of 2025 alone (source: Family Court statistics)
- Surrogacy UK has over 1,700 members and has welcomed over 550 babies
- Under current law, a surrogate is automatically the legal mother from birth regardless of
  genetic connection or intent; intended parents must apply for a parental order 6–12 months
  after birth
- Baroness Merron is the responsible minister at the Department of Health and Social Care

## The six reform proposals (Law Commissions' Surrogacy Bill)

1. A regulated UK pre-conception pathway, overseen by a licensed altruistic non-profit
   surrogacy organisation, with mandatory screening, counselling, and independent legal advice
2. Intended parents recognised as legal parents from birth, provided the regulated pathway
   was followed and the surrogate gives post-birth consent
3. Statutory rights for surrogates: independent legal advice, counselling, and the right to
   withdraw up to the post-birth consent point
4. A national register giving every surrogacy-born and donor-conceived person a statutory
   right to access information about their origins
5. A stronger domestic pathway to reduce the need for less-regulated overseas arrangements
6. A single regulator with oversight powers, data collection, and transparency requirements

## Frequently asked questions

Q: Is surrogacy illegal in the UK?
A: No. Altruistic surrogacy has been legal since 1985. The problem is how parenthood is
   recognised — intended parents have no legal status from birth and must apply to court.

Q: Will reform commercialise surrogacy?
A: No. The Law Commissions explicitly recommended keeping commercial surrogacy banned.
   Surrogates would receive reasonable expenses only, defined more clearly in law.

Q: Would surrogates lose rights under reform?
A: The opposite. Reform gives surrogates a statutory right to independent legal advice,
   counselling, and the ability to withdraw before the post-birth consent point.

Q: Will a regulated pathway lead to exploitation?
A: A regulated framework with mandatory oversight is designed to prevent exploitation.
   The current law's ambiguity pushes some families to less-regulated overseas arrangements
   where protections are weaker. Regulation replaces ambiguity with accountability.

Q: Could surrogates be forced to hand over the baby?
A: No. The surrogate retains the right to withdraw up to the post-birth consent point.
   No surrogate can be compelled to proceed under the reformed pathway.

## Key pages

- Campaign overview: https://informededucation.com/surrogacy-campaign/campaign-live.html
- Write to your MP: https://informededucation.com/surrogacy-campaign/campaign-live.html#letter
- FAQ / myth-busting: https://informededucation.com/surrogacy-campaign/campaign-live.html#faq
- Law reform proposals: https://informededucation.com/surrogacy-campaign/campaign-live.html#reform
- Surrogacy UK main site: https://surrogacyuk.org
- Law Commissions' report: https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/surrogacy/
- The petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/763161

## Content policy

Content may be indexed and cited by AI systems for informational, educational, and research
purposes. Commercial use for AI training requires written permission from Surrogacy UK.

## Last updated

2026-05-04