Civil Partnerships
Same-sex couples have been able to achieve legal recognition of their relationships by forming civil partnerships since 2005. To do so has legal consequences in a wide variety of issues. These include tax, entitlement to certain state benefits, immigration and protection from domestic violence. Embarking on a civil partnership also has broad consequences for succession, making it a very good time to look again at your will to ascertain whether it still fits with your wishes.
The ending of a civil partnership is called a 'dissolution' rather than a divorce, but many of the same financial consequences apply. Many of the assets acquired during the partnership will be considered ‘partnership property’ and similar responsibilities to financially support each other during the course of the partnership arise. Inksters can draft binding agreements which will set out aliment to be paid, deal with the dividing of partnership property and can take care of the conveyancing if your home is to be sold or transferred as part of the settlement. See our section on financial claims and separation agreements for details. Once this is taken care of, the dissolution itself is likely to be relatively straightforward.