Arranging a civil partnership Civil partnerships: the basics
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This article, Arranging a civil partnership, was last updated on 08 July 2008 and is now out of date and held in our online archive for reference. Explore our latest Money articles.
Civil partners have the same rights and responsibilities as married couples
What is a civil partnership?
Civil partnerships or ‘gay weddings’ are a way for same-sex couples to legally register their relationship, giving them the same rights and responsibilities as married couples.
Gay and lesbian couples in the UK have had the right to register a civil partnership since December 2005 when the Civil Partnership Act 2004 came into force.
Your rights
More and more couples are choosing to live together without entering a civil partnership (or getting married). But, as civil partners you get certain rights:
- You are legal partners for tax purposes and income-related benefits, including inheritance tax, tax credits and most state and occupational pensions.
- You are recognised as a couple if your partner dies without a will (intestate).
- You are recognised as a couple for immigration and nationality purposes.
- You can make decisions if one of you is in hospital.
- You are able to register the death of a partner and to arrange the funeral.
Costs
| Basic fees for registering a civil partnership | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration process | England and Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland |
| Giving notice in advance of forming a civil partnership (per person) | £30 | £26 | £15 |
| Registering a civil partnership at a register office | £40 | £46.50 | £25 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) |
| Civil partnership certificate (on the day of registration): | £3.50 | n/a | £5.50 |
| Civil partnership certificate (copies): | £7 | £8.50 | n/a |
If you decide to register your civil partnership at approved premises – rather than at the register office – there will be a charge for the civil partnership registrar to attend (as set by the registration authority) plus the hire cost of your chosen venue.
Changing your name
Once you are civil partners, you can change your surname to that of your partner, if you want.
The government, including agencies such as the Passport Agency and the DVLA, will accept your civil partnership certificate as evidence of your name change. Just send them a copy of your certificate along with a letter explaining that you want to change your name.
You can take your partner's surname, double-barrel your names or even choose a new name altogether
Check if your bank and other private organisations will accept this – they may require additional proof.
If you want to do something a bit different, for example:
- double-barrel your two surnames
- choose a new surname altogether
- change your title from Ms or Miss to Mrs,
this can be done by Deed Poll. Contact the UK Deed Poll Service for more information.
