Civil partnerships were made law in 2005 and were intended for same-sex relationships. In 2019, the law changed to allow opposite-sex couples to enter into a civil partnership.
Couples may decide to have a civil partnership rather than marriage, but there are important legal differences.
- Some countries do not recognise civil partnerships, and therefore the laws of those countries may not confer the same rights as upon a married couple.
- Adoptions may be difficult because of the legal status of the adopters not being recognised
- Pension trustees may not recognise the rights of a civil partner, and pension rights may be lost.
The process to enter into civil partnership is that intention must be given at your local authority to enter into civil partnership and to register it.
If a same-sex couple choose to marry, you can convert to a marriage later, but an opposite-sex couple cannot.
In the event of a breakdown in a civil partnership, you would need to apply to the court for a dissolution, and the procedure is the same as a divorce. Importantly, a dissolution will allow the court to make financial orders, and this is the difference between cohabitation and civil partnership.