If you live with someone in a committed relationship, share your home and your lives – perhaps have children together – you’ll be protected if things go wrong – Right? Wrong. It’s a common misconception, and causes real distress, not to mention financial hardship, in a whole variety of situations – relationship breakdown, of course, […]
The lack of rights for cohabiting couples has a big impact on society as well as on the individuals involved and their families. It’s estimated that there are over 800,000 cohabiting couples in London and the South East, of which nearly 300,000 have dependant children. Cohabitation is the fastest growing family type in the UK […]
‘Irretrievable breakdown’ to be considered by the Supreme Court We featured the Court of Appeal’s decision in Owens v Owens on our blog a few weeks ago. The judgement that, as a matter of law, the marriage between Tini Owens and her husband Hugh had not ‘irretrievably broken down’ was a blow to those of […]
In February 2017, Denise Brewster won her claim that she should automatically receive her late partner’s ‘survivor’s pension’, despite the fact that they were not married. The case highlights the inadequate financial provision automatically available for unmarried couples on death or separation. Translink’s Occupational Pension Scheme Ms Brewster’s legal action related to the ‘survivor’s pension’ […]
