The Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981 (c. 45) is an Act of the

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace ...

which makes it illegal to make fake versions of many things, including legal documents, contracts, audio and visual recordings, and money of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and certain ''protected coins''. It replaces the Forgery Act 1913, the Coinage Offences Act 1936 and parts of the Forgery Act 1861. It implements recommendations made by the Law Commission in their report on forgery and counterfeit currency.

Part I – Forgery and kindred offences

These offences are the intentional creation and publication of documents which, if not fake, would have legal force. These sections of the law cover all manner of documents, for example wills,

contracts A contract is an agreement that specifies certain legally enforceable rights and obligations pertaining to two or more parties. A contract typically involves consent to transfer of goods, services, money, or promise to transfer any of thos ...

, and promissory notes. Section 1 creates the offence of

forgery Forgery is a white-collar crime that generally consists of the false making or material alteration of a legal instrument with the specific mens rea, intent to wikt:defraud#English, defraud. Tampering with a certain legal instrument may be fo ...

. Section 2 creates the offence of copying a false instrument. Section 3 creates the offence of using a false instrument. Section 4 creates the offence of

using a copy of a false instrument Using may refer to: Programming language keywords * In C++, for alias declarations * In C++, for using directives * In C++, for using enum declarations * In C#, for using directives * In TypeScript, for using declarations Other uses * Using ...

. Section 13 abolished the common law offence of forgery.

Part II – Counterfeiting and kindred offences

Section 27 defines the expressions "currency note" and "protected coin". This section makes it illegal to forge or counterfeit money. In addition to the money of the United Kingdom it explicitly states that certain foreign coins are ''protected coins'' under this act, and counterfeiting them is just as great an offence as counterfeiting coins of the United Kingdom.

Protected coin

Section 27(1) provides that, in Part II of the Act, the expression "protected coin" means any coin which is customarily used as money in any country, or which is specified for the purposes of Part II in an order made by the Treasury. The following coins have been specified for the purposes of Part II: * SovereignThe Forgery and Counterfeiting (Protected Coins) Order 1981 (S.I. 1981/505)
article 2
an
Schedule
/ref> * Half sovereign * Krugerrand *Any coin denominated as a fraction of a Krugerrand. * Maria Theresia thaler bearing the date of 1780 *Any euro coin produced in accordance with Council Regulation No. 975/98/EC (OJ No. L139, 11.5.98, p. 6) by or at the instance of a member state which has adopted the single currency in accordance with the Treaty establishing the European Community

Orders made under this section

The power conferred on the Treasury by section 27(1) has been exercised by the following orders: *Th
Forgery and Counterfeiting (Protected Coins) Order 1981
(S.I. 1981/505) *Th
Forgery and Counterfeiting (Protected Coins) Order 1999
(S.I. 1999/2095)

Part III – Miscellaneous and general

Section 29
amended section 63 of the Post Office Act 1953. It was repealed on 26 March 2001The Postal Services Act 2000 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/878), article 2 and Schedule (as read with article 17) by section 127(6) of, and Schedule 9 to, the Postal Services Act 2000.

References

* Halsbury's Statutes,

External links

*
The Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981
as amended from the National Archives.
The Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981
as originally enacted from the National Archives. {{UK legislation United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1981 Forgery in the United Kingdom