The Office of National Statistics publishes the latest annual statistics on formations and dissolutions of civil partnerships in England and Wales.
It’s fast approaching a year since civil partnerships were extended to opposite-sex couples on 2nd December 2019 after having historically been only for same-sex couples,
The judgement allowed opposite-sex couples to form a civil partnership, extending the protection offered to same sex civil partnerships regarding various rights and benefits, such as parental rights and financial entitlements.
As couples are required to give a minimum of 28-days notice of a civil partnership, the first ones took place from 31st December 2019.
Here is a snapshot of the statistics:
- There were 167 opposite-sex civil partnerships formed in England and Wales on 31 December 2019; this was the first day it was possible to do so following the change in legislation to extend civil partnerships rights to opposite-sex couples.
- There were 994 same-sex civil partnerships formed in England and Wales in 2019; this was an increase of 4.0% from 956 in 2018 and an increase of 9.5% from 908 in 2017.
Latest Statistics on Civil Partnerships - The majority (61%) of same-sex civil partnerships in England and Wales in 2019 were between men, a lower proportion compared with the previous year (65%).
- Nearly in one in five (19%) of those entering a same-sex civil partnership in 2019 were aged 65 years and over; this compares with just 4.0% in 2013, prior to the introduction of marriages of same-sex couples.
- About three-quarters (72%) of same-sex civil partnerships formed in England and Wales in 2019 were to couples where both partners were single (that is, never previously entered into a marriage or civil partnership); this percentage has remained broadly consistent since the introduction of same-sex civil partnerships in 2005.
- There were 916 same-sex civil partnerships dissolutions granted in England and Wales in 2019, a small decrease of 1.2% from 927 in 2018; of these, 54% were to female couples.
Civil Partnerships award essentially the same rights to couples as Marriage does. There are a few notable differences between Civil Partnerships and Marriage:
- Civil Partnerships cannot be formed in a religious ceremony on a religious premise
- Marriage is formed by vows; Civil Partnerships are formed by signing of the Civil Partnership document
- Only the father’s name features on the marriage certificate where as both parent’s names appear on the civil partnership document
- Marriages are ended by divorce and Civil Partnerships by dissolution although the procedure is fundamentally the same
- A Civil Partnership is not voidable on the basis of non-consummation (nor does it make a same sex marriage voidable)
- Adultery is only a ground for dissolution (or divorce) if it is committed with a person of the opposite sex
More details on the statistics here.