Civil partnership

A civil partnership is a legally recognised relationship between two people of the same sex. Civil partnerships were introduced in the United Kingdom under the Civil Partnership Act 2004 and give almost all the same rights and responsibilities as civil marriage. The first civil partnerships were formed in December 2005.

The main differences from civil marriage are as follows:

• the partnership is formed by the signing of the register, not by saying certain words (and in fact there's no legal requirement for any words to be said)

• the partnership does not require to be consummated (ie for the partners to have intercourse) to make it valid

• the partnership cannot be dissolved on the grounds of adultery.

• there are some difference concerned with private pensions.

Up to the end of 2010, 46,622 civil partnerships had been formed, including 487 at British Consulates abroad.

As with civil marriage, civil partnership ceremonies are not allowed to include religious readings, music or symbols, or take place on religious premises. This restriction is to be removed following the Equalities Act 2010. The new rules are expected to come into force before the next general election in 2015.