The Family Law Reform Act 1969 (c. 46) is an act of Parliament amending various aspects of English family law. Amongst other provisions, the act lowered the age of majority from 21 years to 18 years, reformed the property rights of illegitimate children, and empowered civil courts to order blood tests to determine paternity.

The act, as it pertains to property rights, has been almost entirely repealed by the Family Law Reform Act 1987.

Part I deals with the reduction of the age of majority in England and Wales from 21 to 18. Provides provision for the Parliament of Northern Ireland to enact similar legislation.^[1]

Part II, covering the property rights of illegitimate children, has been largely repealed by the Family Law Reform Act 1987. Paragraphs 1 and 3 of section 19 of the act, the sole provisions in part II that remain in force, extend rights of children under section 11 of the Married Women's Property Act 1882 and section 2 of the Married Women's Policies of Assurance (Scotland) Act 1880 to illegitimate children.^[2][3]

Part III provides the courts with the power to compel the taking of blood tests to determine paternity of a child.^[4]

Part IV, for miscellaneous and general provisions, allows for the rebuttal of legal presumptions of legitimacy or illegitimacy with evidence of probability that a person is legitimate or illegitimate.^[5]

 This article incorporates text published under the British Open Government Licence v3.0: