Third Special Report - The rights of cohabiting partners: Government response to the Committee’s Second Report

This is the government's response, published 1 November 2022.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government partially accepts the two awareness-campaign recommendations, accepts in principle the pensions guidance recommendation, and rejects the recommendations on cohabitation law reform, intestacy and inheritance tax.

• On a public awareness campaign, the government "does not consider a national campaign necessary" but commits to "take further action to consider the best ways to raise awareness", including considering a review of information on Gov.uk.
• It rejects the call for an opt-out cohabitation scheme and draft legislation in 2023-24, saying work on marriage and divorce law "must conclude" first, so it "cannot therefore commit" to that timetable.
• It rejects immediate implementation of the 2011 intestacy recommendations, intending to take "a cautious approach" and saying it "would want to consult ahead of pursuing any reforms".
• On pensions, it accepts in principle and "will thus consider whether non legislative broad guidance would be appropriate", after assessing the matter with the Pensions Regulator and key stakeholders. HM Treasury rejects the inheritance tax recommendation but "will keep inheritance tax, including the issue of cohabitation under review".

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