Civil partnerships

Civil partnership - legal recognition for same-sex couples

What is civil partnership?

Civil partnership allows same-sex couples across the United Kingdom to have their relationships legally recognised. After registration, these couples have the same rights as a married couple in areas like tax, social security, inheritance and workplace benefits.

Who can register?

Two people who are:

• of the same sex
• 16 or over (with consent if under 18)
• not already married or in a civil partnership
• not closely related (e.g. parent, sister, niece, uncle)

How do we register a civil partnership?

First of all, you give notice of your intention to register at your nearest registration service point. An appointment can be made by telephoning 0845 6789016 between 9.00am and 4.45pm, Monday to Friday. After 15 clear days, you can register your civil partnership by signing a civil partnership schedule in front of the registrar and your two witnesses.

Fees

The current fees for this service are as follows:

Registering a civil partnership at the Shropshire Register Office or in any of the Registration Service ceremony rooms situated in Ludlow, Oswestry, Wem, Bridgnorth and Bishop's Castle

Notice of intention to register a civil partnership (fee per person): £30
Total fee payable on date of registration (a ceremony is included if required): £40
Civil partnership certificate at the time of registration (cost per certificate): £3.50

Registering a civil partnership at an approved venue in Shropshire

Notice of intention to register a civil partnership (fee per person): £30

Fee payable on the day of the ceremony:
For registrations taking place on Monday to Friday: £250
For registrations taking place on a Saturday: £275
For registrations taking place on a Sunday or Bank Holiday (excluding Christmas day and Good Friday): £320
Civil Partnership certificate (standard and extract) at time of registration: £3.50 per certificate

The most important things to do are to:

• Get advice and information. Your local register office or the website of the general register office can help. Please follow the Registration services points link below for details.
• Decide where you want to register. You can register in the same sorts of places where you can get married: a registration service point or a venue like a hotel, if it is approved for the purpose. However, you cannot register at a religious venue.
• Fix the date. If you are registering at an approved venue, remember to check that the registrar can attend on that day.
• Arrange to give notice of your intention to register. You both have to give notice at least 15 clear days before the date of registering. Regardless of where you are registering, you must arrange for each of you to give notice to a registration service point for the area in which you have lived for the 7 days before giving notice. You will have to have certain documents with you (such as your birth certificate) - check in advance with the registrar.
• Get registered. A civil partnership is formed when each persons signs the civil partnership schedule in front of the registrar and their two witnesses. If you want a ceremony around these formalities, you should discuss it with the registration service point and the venue. However, no religious service can take place while the registrar is officiating at the formation of a civil partnership.

Overseas relationships
Some same-sex overseas relationships will automatically be treated as civil partnerships in the United Kingdom and you may not need to register again. Full details of the overseas schemes which may be recognised can be found by following the link at the bottom of this page.

Immigration control
You have to follow special procedures if you want a civil partnership with someone subject to immigration control (for example, staying in the United Kingdom on a visa). When you give notice you will need to go together to a specially designated Register Office. For more information on these issues please contact the Immigration and Nationality Bureau on 0870 606 7766 or visit their website via the Useful links at the bottom of this page.

Civil partnerships - your rights and responsibilities
Getting registered is an important commitment and serious decision that brings with it significant consequences in terms of both rights and responsibilities. These are shown in the attached download.

The website links mentioned in the attached download are also shown on this web page should you need further information.

When one civil partner dies

• Inheriting property - a bereaved civil partner will be treated the same way as a widow or widower in relation to inheriting their deceased civil partner's estate, in particular if he or she died without making a will.
• Inheriting a tenancy - a person will be entitled to inherit their civil partner's tenancy upon their death, in the same way that a widow or widower can.
• Life assurance - civil partners will have the right to obtain assurance on their civil partner's life on a basis equivalent to married people.
• Fatal accidents compensation - if a person dies in an accident caused by someone else's negligence, then that person's civil partner, or someone who has been living with the deceased as a civil partner for at least 2 years, will be entitled to claim compensation for financial loss. They will also be entitled to claim bereavement damages.
• Criminal injuries compensation scheme - civil partners will be entitled to a fatal injury award on the same basis as married people.

If things go wrong

Relationship support
Problems arise in all relationships which you may not be able to solve on your own. There are people you can go to for advice or counselling to help you work through these difficulties. For further support contact Relate on 0845 456 1310 or visit their website via the Useful links page.

Domestic violence
There are a range of legal protections open to all couples. These include non-molestation orders, which are used to restrain someone from threatening or causing violence to you; and Occupation Orders, which sort out who should stay in the home shared by the couple to protect either party (or any children) from domestic violence.

Anyone affected by domestic violence, or the threat of it, can phone the Domestic Violence national freephone 24-hour helpline on 0808 200 247 or Broken Rainbow (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender domestic violence forum) on 0845 260 4460 (available 9.00am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 5.00pm). In an emergency, always call the police by dialling 999.

Ending a civil partnership
A civil partnership can only be ended by death, dissolution or annulment. Dissolution is a court-based process and as with marriage you will need to talk to a solicitor if you want to dissolve a civil partnership, though you cannot dissolve it less than a year after it was formed.

The grounds for dissolving a civil partnership are:

• unreasonable behaviour
• 2 years separation (with consent)
• 5 years separation (without consent)
• one partner has deserted the other for 2 years

Annulment only applies in specific situations, for example where one of the couple did not validly consent to the civil partnership.

The courts will have the power to make provision for the division of property upon separation, the maintenance of either civil partner, and residence and contact with any children on the civil partnership and the maintenance of the child.

Useful links

To access the websites of a number of external organisations relating to civil partnerships or marriages, please click on Useful links.

Back to top