Q. My partner and I have lived together for 5 years and would like to ‘take our relationship to the next level’. However, neither of us are particularly religious and we are considering, rather than marriage, entering into a Civil Partnership. We aren’t the same sex, however; is this an issue?

A. Since the Civil Partnership Act 2004 was approved by parliament, same-sex couples have been able to enter into a legal recognised partnership that grants them all the same rights and privileges of a married couple. Civil Partnerships were created to provide same-sex couples with an alternative to marriage (which was not an option until March 2014) and do not apply to couples of a different sex.

However, in June 2018 the Supreme Court ruled that restricting civil partnerships to same-sex couples was discriminatory. The government is presently considering a bill to amend the Civil Partnership Act 2004 in light of the judgement.

In short, in the foreseeable future, you will probably be able to enter into a civil partnership with your partner; just not yet.

If you require any further assistance, or guidance, about entering into a marriage or civil partnership please feel free to contact our team on 02920 345511 / 01656 645525 or family@berrysmith.com