My long term partner and I are thrilled at the government introducing the Civil Partnership Act. We would like to register our partnership but we wonder what the legal implications would be if our relationship breaks down?

If your relationship breaks down you can apply to dissolve your partnership in much the same way as divorce proceedings are commenced.

You cannot apply to dissolve your partnership in the first year following its registration. You can apply to the courts to dissolve the partnership on the grounds of your partner’s unreasonable behaviour, desertion and two years separation with consent or 5 years separation.

You can also claim financial provision in a very similar way to divorcing couples.