Common Law Marriage

"Common-law marriage"

Statistics published by the Office for National Statistics in November 2017 revealed that the cohabiting couple is the second largest family type and the fastest growing, having more than doubled from 1.5 million families in 1996 to 3.3 million families in 2017.

A recent survey commissioned by Resolution - a national association of Family Law lawyers -  found that about 25% of people in this country wrongly believe that, after living together for more than two years, unmarried couples have similar rights to married couples on separation, and over 33% wrongly think it is true that unmarried couples who have lived together for more than two years benefit from what is known as a 'common law marriage'.  
Unmarried cohabitating couples do NOT have the same legal rights and protection as married couples if they separate, or if one of them dies.  Please see our other article on cohabitant claims.

If you are cohabiting with another person, you should ensure you know where you stand legally, especially if you have children.  We can advise and help you understand your position so you do not lose out.