Cohabitation

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on cohabitation. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

DateDescription
01.03.2012"Common law marriage" and cohabitation
Generally, although cohabitants do have some legal protection in several areas, they do not have as many rights and responsibilities as married couples, and there is no specific legal status for what is often referred to as a 'common law marriage'. Studies have shown that many cohabiting couples are unaware of this fact. The Ministry of Justice has funded two voluntary sector partners to manage a campaign to make cohabitants more aware of their legal status and provide them with practical advice on how they can protect themselves and their families, should they wish to do so.

Research Papers

DateDescription
07.09.2004Civil Partnership Bill (HL) (Bill 132 of 2003/04)
The Civil Partnership Bill (HL) (Bill 132 of 2003/04): background and debate. House of Commons Library Research Paper 04/64.
19.03.2002Relationships (Civil Registration) Bill and Civil Partnerships Bill (HL) (Bill 36 and HL Bill 41 of 2001-02)
Relationships (Civil Registration) Bill and Civil Partnerships Bill (HL) (Bill 36 and HL Bill 41 of 2001/02). House of Commons Library Research Paper 02/17

Early Day Motions

DateDescription
29.01.2009LAW RELATING TO UNMARRIED COUPLES
That this House believes that the law relating to unmarried couples is in urgent need of reform because there is little or no legal protection for cohabitants on relationship breakdown; ...
29.01.2009LAW RELATING TO UNMARRIED COUPLES
That this House believes that the law relating to unmarried couples is in urgent need of reform because there is little or no legal protection for cohabitants on relationship breakdown; ...
29.01.2009LAW RELATING TO UNMARRIED COUPLES
That this House believes that the law relating to unmarried couples is in urgent need of reform because there is little or no legal protection for cohabitants on relationship breakdown; ...

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Glossary

  • Research Papers (RP) - briefings produced by the House of Commons Library on Bills, topical issues and regular statistics
  • Standard Notes (SN) - shorter, topical briefings from the Commons Library
  • Early Day Motions (EDMs) - formal motions submitted by MPs in the House of Commons
  • POST Notes - short briefing notes produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
  • Lords Library Notes (LLN) - papers compiled by the House of Lords Library on Bills and for debates in the Lords