Civil partnership registration for same sex couples at Rochdale

Date published: 10/11/2005

Same-sex couples will be able to legally register their partnership or relationship with Rochdale Register Office from Monday 5 December this year. The Government's Civil Partnership Act 2004 becomes effective from that date. Same sex couples will be able to obtain legal recognition for their relationship.

Couples who form a civil partnership will have a new legal status - that of "Civil Partner". Couples will be able to give notice of their intention to register their partnership through their local Register Office.

There will be a waiting period of 15 days before a couple can complete the legal registration of their partnership. Any dissolution of a partnership registration would have to be petitioned through the court system. The registration and optional ceremony will take place in the presence of a local authority Registrar, either at the Register Office or at an approved venue for civil ceremonies.

There are numerous benefits of registering a partnership relationship including:

• a duty to provide reasonable maintenance for your civil
  partner and any children of the family
• civil partners to be assessed the same as spouses for taxes
  and government benefits
• employment and pension benefits
• legal recognition as next of kin for your partner.

If you would like more information or to provisionally book a partnership
registration/ ceremony, please contact:

Rochdale Register Office, Town Hall, Rochdale, OL16 1AB

Tel. 01706 864783/4 Fax. 01706 864786 e-mail register.office@rochdale.gov.uk