An Introduction to Cohabitation and Civil Union in the UK

The number of couples who are in cohabiting relationships has steadily risen throughout the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st as the social, religious and political attitudes to cohabitation outside of marriage have changed. However, many people in cohabiting relationships aren’t clear on what the legal status of their arrangement is and some still cling to the misconception that they qualify for common-law marriage.