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Select Committee · Women and Equalities Committee

The Rights of Cohabiting Partners

Status: Closed Opened: 20 Apr 2021 Closed: 12 Dec 2022 4 recommendations 2 conclusions 1 report

Cohabiting partners make up the fastest growing type of family, with over 3.4 million partners cohabiting in England or Wales. People in romantic relationships who cohabit currently have less legal protection than those who are married or in a civil partnership in the event of death or separation. Despite this, there is a widespread perception …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - The rights of cohabiting partners HC 92 4 Aug 2022 6 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

1 item
5 Recommendation Second Report - The rights of cohabitin… Acknowledged

The Government should reform family law to better protect cohabiting couples and their children from...

The Government should reform family law to better protect cohabiting couples and their children from financial hardship in the event of separation. We recommend an opt-out cohabitation scheme as proposed by the Law Commission in its 2007 report on the financial consequences of relationship breakdown. The Government should make a …

Government response. The government accepts the recommendation in principle, but will consider whether non legislative broad guidance would be appropriate, having assessed the matter with the Pensions Regulator and key stakeholders first.
Government Equalities Office

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
2 Feb 2022 Mike Freer MP · Government Equalities Office, Mike Freer MP · House of Commons, Neal Barcoe · Ministry of Justice, Professor Nicholas Hopkins · Law Commission, Tom Pursglove MP · Ministry of Justice View ↗
5 Jan 2022 Dr Kathryn O’Sullivan · University of Limerick, Jens Scherpe · University of Cambridge, Kate Dowdalls QC · Scottish Law Commission, Professor Margaret Briggs · University of Otago View ↗
1 Dec 2021 Baroness Ruth Deech, Elizabeth Darlington, Michael Horton QC, Mr Harry Benson · Marriage Foundation View ↗
3 Nov 2021 Graeme Fraser · Resolution, Lisa Ray · Civil Service Pensioners' Alliance and Partner of Later Life Ambitions, Mandip Ghai · Rights of Women, Nazmin Akthar · Muslim Women's Network UK View ↗
22 Sep 2021 Professor Anne Barlow · University of Exeter, Professor Gillian Douglas · Dickson Poon School of Law, Kings College, London, Professor Rebecca Probert · The University of Exeter View ↗