Cohabitation and Civil Partnerships

Although people often talk about "common law wife" or "common law husband", in law there is no such status. You are either married or unmarried.

For some this has changed with the Civil Partnerships Act in relation to same-sex couples but the position of heterosexual couples living together as man and wife is vastly different to that of married couples.

Despite this many people choose to live together either permanently or for a trial period before marriage and the question then arises as to how the law can help if there are problems in those relationships, particularly children and financial issues.

Civil Partners will be treated in the same way as spouses in legal matters including finances, property rights, inheritance tax, social security and pension benefits, and also the ability to get parental responsibility for a partner's children. If you have chosen to live with one another, but not enter into a civil partnership, then you will be treated, in law, in the same way as a heterosexual cohabiting couple.

Whether married, Civil Partners or simply living together all such arrangements create important relationships upon which it is sensible and at times essential to take advice from the John Hodge Solicitors Family Team.

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