Heterosexual couples can have a civil partnership instead of a marriage

The Supreme Court makes ruling meaning heterosexual couples can have a civil partnership instead of a marriage

Rebecca Steinfield and Charles Keidan have been successful in their legal battle to engage in a civil partnership rather than a marriage. The Civil Partnership Act 2004 states that it applies only to same sex couples.  However, the Supreme Court have today ruled that this is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

There are several reasons why a party may want to enter a civil partnership rather than marry, such as being free of religious connotations. A civil partnership does however offer legal and financial protection should the relationship come to an end.  Whereas cohabitating couples have limited protection and options available to them.

Although this ruling does not automatically mean the government have to change the law to accommodate heterosexual civil partners, it does set a precedent and put pressure on them to amend the law accordingly.

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