Cohabitation

Although cohabitants are now given legal protection in several areas, they and their families have significantly fewer rights and responsibilities than people who are married or have a civil partnership.

However many cohabitants are not aware of their position and consequently take no steps to protect themselves.

The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) is keen to dispel the myth of 'common law marriage' and supports and funds two voluntary sector partners, Advice Services Alliance and One Plus One, to manage the living together campaign.

Living together campaign

The living together campaign aims to increase awareness and understanding of the legal issues around living together and aims to make both opposite and same sex 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.

This advice includes:

• making a will
• parental responsibility and how to get it
• your housing rights
• how to make a living together agreement
• making your partner your next of kin
• how to deal with the financial implications