Civil Partnership or Marriage
Civil Partnerships were introduced in 2005 by the Civil Partnership Act 2004. This gives same-sex couples the option to enter into a legal relationship with their partner, similar, but different to marriage. In 2013 the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 legalised full same-sex marriage, although civil partnership also remains available. In 2014 legislation allowed same sex couples to convert their Civil Partnerships into a marriage.
The Government website gives information on the legal difference between these two legal contracts – it is 5 pages long - please read about annulment for light relief.
There has been a campaign to open up Civil Partnerships to straight couples "which is modern, which is symmetrical and that focuses on equality, which is exactly what a Civil Partnership is"[i]. Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan won their claim to enter into a Civil Partnership to gain “legal recognition of their relationship which does not have ‘patriarchal baggage’ at the Supreme Court in June 2018. Since then government has promised that the necessary legislation will go through parliament in 2019 to allow a choice to both same sex and straight couples (and any other combination) in future.
Of course for couples choosing an independent celebrant service you already have the freedom to create a ceremony that reflects your life philosophy.
Handfasting is not a legal contract.
The Government website gives information on the legal difference between these two legal contracts – it is 5 pages long - please read about annulment for light relief.
There has been a campaign to open up Civil Partnerships to straight couples "which is modern, which is symmetrical and that focuses on equality, which is exactly what a Civil Partnership is"[i]. Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan won their claim to enter into a Civil Partnership to gain “legal recognition of their relationship which does not have ‘patriarchal baggage’ at the Supreme Court in June 2018. Since then government has promised that the necessary legislation will go through parliament in 2019 to allow a choice to both same sex and straight couples (and any other combination) in future.
Of course for couples choosing an independent celebrant service you already have the freedom to create a ceremony that reflects your life philosophy.
Handfasting is not a legal contract.
