Civil Partnerships

Civil partnerships legal advice solicitors

While many civil partnerships will function like a traditional marriage, they are not legally the same. There are a few practical considerations you need to factor into your planning of a civil partnership, especially if you plan to bring pre-acquired assets into the relationship.

If you’re considering entering into a civil partnership with your partner and you’re unsure where to begin, at Farleys our expert family law team is here to help. We can ensure that your assets are protected by helping you create a pre-partnership or pre-nuptial agreement.

If you have questions about how a civil partnership will affect your finances, your children or your inheritance rights don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our friendly solicitors. Our family law team will sit down with you and take you through all of the benefits and stipulations of entering into a civil partnership.

What is a civil partnership?

A civil partnership, contained in the Civil Partnership Act 2004, is a legal relationship that’s formed between two partners (either of the same sex or heterosexual). Once entered into, this relationship grants the couple rights, responsibilities and commitments similar to those of a married couple. The difference between a civil partner and a marriage is that a civil partnership is entered into by signing an official document, whereas vows enter two people into a marriage.

While marriage and a civil partnership are different, civil partners gain the same rights. For example, for civil partners who are not the biological parents of the children in their relationship, there are avenues such as entering into a Step-Parental Responsibility Agreement with the person(s) with parental responsibility or obtaining a Step-Parental Responsibility Order from the court. Additionally, civil partners who can provide maintenance, quality of life, and financial support for a child may also consider adoption as a way to expand their family and provide a loving home for a child in need.

When you enter into a civil partnership, you will also get the following benefits a married couple would receive:

• Joint treatment of income-related benefits and pensions
• Inheritance rights
• Tax purposes (People who are living together and civil partners are
• taxed separately)
• Access to compensation
• Recognition as next of kin

Who can enter into a civil partnership?

Just as with formal agreement, certain conditions must be met to be allowed to enter into such a contract. These conditions ensure that all parties involved are making informed and willing decisions.

In order to enter into a civil partnership both people must:

• Have the capacity to consent
• Give said consent
• Not be legally bound into an existing civil partner or be lawfully married
• Be over the age of 16, and if under 18 years old, have obtained written parental consent
• Not be closely related
• Have lived in the United Kingdom for at least seven days prior to the civil partnership

Entering into a civil partnership is an important decision, and it’s natural to have questions about how it will impact your finances, children, and inheritance rights. Our compassionate family law solicitors at Farleys understand the significance of these questions, and we are here to provide all the legal advice you need.

If you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to speak to a Farleys family law solicitor who will guide you through all the benefits and implications of entering into a civil partnership.

Expert civil partnership solicitors

At Farleys, our civil partnership solicitors are experts in the legal differences between civil partnerships and marriages. We can help you understand the options available to you, including pre-partnership agreements that work like pre-nuptial agreements and the process for obtaining a dissolution if your civil partnership breaks down.

If you’d prefer to enter into a marriage over a civil partnership, we can also provide advice on this matter. For same-sex couples who entered into a civil partnership when marriage wasn’t an option, we can advise you on the steps to take to convert an existing civil partnership to a marriage should you wish to.

Can you end a civil partnership?

The unfortunate truth is that not all relationships work out. If you find yourself in a situation where your civil partnership has broken down and you are looking to dissolve it, our team of specialist solicitors is here to support you through the process.

If you would like to pursue this avenue, it’s important to address financial matters to ensure the well-being of both partners and any children involved. This may include providing maintenance and/or child support and coming to a fair agreement regarding property sharing. Our team is committed to going the extra mile to ensure the dissolution process is as stress-free as possible and to guide you towards maintaining a positive and amicable relationship with your partner.

Why choose Farleys?

For more than 60 years, we have been providing dependable legal support to our clients. Our fantastic and dedicated team of knowledgeable family law solicitors can provide expert guidance on all facets of civil partnerships.

We understand the importance of providing practical solutions to support and reassure you throughout your legal journey. That’s why we always go out of our way to communicate clearly and understandably, eliminate any unnecessary legal jargon so that you always feel informed about your situation.

If you need any help or advice on civil partnerships or have any questions about our services, please don’t hesitate to contact our expert solicitors. We have offices across the North-West, in Manchester, Blackburn, Burnley, Preston, Accrington, Rawtenstall and Shadsworth. You can get in touch with our team by calling us on 01254606008, using our website’s chat feature, or emailing [email protected].