Cohabitation - The new 'I do'?

With recent statistics emerging that cohabiting couples are continuing to grow faster than married couples and single-parent families, it is becoming even more important that cohabiting couples understand the law surrounding their unmarried status. Despite an increase of 25.8% of cohabiting couples between 2008 and 2018, many unmarried couples still remain surprised when informed that there is no such thing as a 'common law wife or husband' and that financial provision for unmarried couples upon relationship breakdown is a stark contrast to those who have chosen to tie the knot. 

The law surrounding unmarried couples and financial claims that can and can’t be made against the other is often misunderstood and can be difficult to interpret without specialist advice. Our Family Team are here to assist with providing expert advice in this area of the law as well as combining practical advice to enable clients to protect their future position in the best way possible, for example, by entering into a Cohabitation Agreement.

If you are in a cohabiting relationship and are concerned about the impact of the current law on your financial future should you separate from your partner, please contact our Family Team for further guidance and assistance. 

These notes have been prepared for the purpose of an article only. They should not be regarded as a substitute for taking legal advice.