What is civil partnership?
Civil Partnership is a new
legal relationship, giving
two people of the same sex
similar rights to married
couples. These rights and
responsibilities include:
A duty to provide reasonable
maintenance for your civil
partner and any children of
the family
Ability to apply for parental
responsibility for your civil
partner’s child
Equitable treatment for assessment
of child support, life assurance,
tax, employment and pension
benefits.
Recognition under intestacy
rules
Recognition for immigration
and nationality purposes
Next of kin rights
Who is eligible?
The couple must both be of
the same sex, be 16 years
of age or older, not already
be in a civil partnership
or marriage and not be related
to each other. In England,
Northern Ireland and Wales,
16 and 17 year olds will need
their parents’ consent.
In Scotland, they won’t.
How do you register?
To register a civil partnership,
you must first give formal
notice to your local authority.
You’ll be able to do
this from December 5, but
some authorities (such as
Brighton and Hove, Liverpool,
Sheffield) are already taking
provisional bookings.
Where can I register my civil
partnership?
Anywhere already approved
for marriages, such as a register
office or licensed wedding
venue.
How long do I have to wait?
Once each person has given
notice of intention to register,
there is a 15-day waiting
period before the civil partnership
can be registered. In exceptional
circumstances, the 15-day
period can be reduced –
for example where someone
is seriously ill and not expected
to recover.
What time of day can a civil
partnership be registered?
Civil partnerships can only
be registered between 8am
and 6pm (as is the case for
marriage). However, where
one of the couple is seriously
ill and not expected to recover,
then the civil partnership
may be formed at any time.
What happens at a civil partnership
registration?
The couple sign a civil partnership
document in the presence of
the registrar and two witnesses.
Civil partnership registration
is an entirely secular process
and the Civil Partnership
Act prevents any religious
service from taking place
during the statutory steps
leading to the formation of
a civil partnership.
Can we have a ceremony?
Yes. You can have a ceremony
in addition to the signing
of the legal documentation,
but it is not required under
the Act.
How much will it cost?
The cost of giving notice
in advance of forming a civil
partnership is £30.00
per person. Forming a civil
partnership at a register
office will cost £40.00.
The local registration authority
set the cost for attendance
by a civil partnership registrar
and a further charge is likely
to be made by the owners of
the building for the use of
the premises.
What happens if the relationship
breaks down?
A civil partnership can only
be ended by formal dissolution
or annulment, or on the death
of one of the parties. The
process for dissolution will
be court-based and the person
applying for the partnership
to be dissolved will have
to show that it has broken
down irretrievably.
Will the UK recognise civil
partnership schemes from other
countries?
If you have already entered
into a civil partnership in
another country (countries
which already allow civil
partnerships include Belgium,
Denmark, Finland and Canada),
you won’t have to register
again here. From 5 December,
your partnership will be recognised
in the UK.
