Stonewall 12 pg Booklet REPRO
5/10/05
12:13 pm
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Stonewall 12 pg Booklet REPRO
5/10/05
12:14 pm
You’re gay, you’re in love, You want to be together forever... GET HITCHED ! A Guide to Civil Partnership
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Stonewall 12 pg Booklet REPRO
5/10/05
12:14 pm
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Stonewall 12 pg Booklet REPRO
5/10/05
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‘ You get every right – and every responsibility – straight couples get when they marry’
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So, civil partnership, is this marriage or not? To all intents and purposes, yes. With civil partnerships you get every right and every privilege – and every responsibility – straight couples get when they marry. It’s the same thing. You can even ask your relations for toasters. What sort of rights do you mean? Apart from the right to a new toaster and a great party? You get next-of-kin rights, you get rights in relation to your partner’s children, you get tax rights, including the same inheritance rights as straight married couples. And you get pension rights, so you may be able to claim your civil partner’s pension should they die… Is that what we become, civil partners? Yeah, but no one can stop you calling each other what you like – husband, wife, husbear, her indoors – though not on official documents. If you want to take your partner’s name on your driver’s licence say, or your passport, proof of identity and your civil partnership certificate will be enough to sort that out.
Stonewall 12 pg Booklet REPRO
5/10/05
12:14 pm
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Stonewall 12 pg Booklet REPRO
5/10/05
12:14 pm
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‘ It’s legally binding so it’s not something to do for a laugh or a quick romantic gesture’
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So, there’s no inheritance tax between partners anymore? No, because you are now civil partners and recognised like a straight married couple. You have the right to register a death, the right to bereavement benefits, the right to claim compensation in case of a fatal accident, the right to stay living in your shared rented home…
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But we don’t have to live together to be civil partners? No. It’s the same for married straight couples. Domestic arrangements and who lives where are nobody else’s business. And your bosses do have to treat you and your civil partner the same way they treat a married straight couple in terms of perks and benefits.
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You said there were also responsibilities... Well, it’s legally binding so it’s not something to do for a laugh or a quick romantic gesture. You’ll have to live with the consequences, including maybe providing maintenance to your civil partner and any children. And if you’re receiving benefits, you will be dealt with the same as any other married couple. But then that’s true of all couples – straight or gay – just living together without the piece of paper.
Stonewall 12 pg Booklet REPRO
5/10/05
12:14 pm
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Stonewall 12 pg Booklet REPRO
5/10/05
12:14 pm
Page 8
‘ It’s called a dissolution but yes, you would need a “divorce” if it all went wrong’
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So, presumably, we’d have to get a divorce if it all went wrong? It’s called a ‘dissolution’ but yes, you would.
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And we can tie the knot in church? You can have a blessing in a church with your favourite gay-friendly vicar (or equivalent gay-friendly religious leader), the same as straight couples who marry in a register o¤ce, but there can be no religious service during the registration itself, just as with straight couples in a civil wedding. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get spliced somewhere beautiful. You can do the deed anywhere that has a licence for civil services – stately homes, hotels, selected beaches and mountain tops.
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What happens when we’re being registered? It’s your day. You can have what you want, so don’t let any o¤cials bully you into something you’re not up for – or out of something you are! You can write your own vows, exchange rings, have whatever readings you like, kiss to seal the deal, whatever – just discuss it all with your registrar. The only thing you absolutely have to do is provide your signatures and two witnesses.
Stonewall 12 pg Booklet REPRO
5/10/05
12:14 pm
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Stonewall 12 pg Booklet REPRO
5/10/05
12:14 pm
Page 10
‘ You can do the deed anywhere that has a licence for civil services’
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And does this count with the Immigration O¤ce? Yes, you’ll now be in exactly the same boat as straight couples who get married. There may be restrictions about entering the country to register but no more than there would be for a straight partner.
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So, how do we get started? You need to go to the registration service – in person – to give formal notice of your intention to register your partnership, just as a straight couple would. And remember, you don’t have to tie the knot locally – you can go anywhere you like in the UK as long as it has a licence. Once you’ve given notice, you have 15 days to wait, plan, choose outfits, invite friends and make a fool of yourself on a stag or hen night.
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Then you can get yourselves HITCHED !
Stonewall 12 pg Booklet REPRO
5/10/05
12:14 pm
Page 11
Stonewall 12 pg Booklet REPRO
Need to find out more about something here? For everything you need to know about civil partnerships go to www.stonewall.org.uk www.stonewallcymru.org.uk Home O¤ce Immigration and Nationality Directorate can help with issues concerning civil partnership with a partner from abroad. 0870 606 7766 www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group offers support on anything to do with immigration. 020 7620 6010 www.uklgig.org.uk Pension Service If you need advice on the new pension rights go to www.thepensionservice.gov.uk Adoption For more information about adopting your partner’s children go to www.dfes.gov.uk/adoption
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Jobcentre Plus can give you information on benefits. Go to www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk Inland Revenue For any queries about tax laws go to www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk General Register O¤ce has a list of licensed venues and can answer any questions you have concerning costs, civil partnership with someone who can’t turn up to a venue in person for whatever reason and a whole raft of other issues. Go to www.gro.gov.uk General Register Office for Scotland www.gro-scotland.gov.uk Stonewall 020 7881 9440 Minicom 020 7881 9996 Stonewall Scotland 0131 557 3679 Stonewall Cymru 02920 237 744 Produced for Stonewall by Warwick Worldwide Stonewall is hugely grateful to Barclays for their support
You can do the deed ‘‘Help Stonewall whileanywhere getting hitched!’ that has a licence for civil services’
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And doesthan this asking count with Immigration Rather for the gifts, you couldO¤ce? ask your guests Yes, you’ll now be in theinsame as The straight to make a donation toexactly Stonewall yourboat name. couplesthey whodonate get married. be restrictions money will go There directlymay towards our work about entering the country to register but bisexual no more fighting for equality for all lesbian, gay and than there would be for a straight people. It’s very straightforward for partner. your guests to make donations, they can do this either by post or over the So, how All do we getneed started? phone. you to do is register your ceremony with Youand need toprovide go to the service person us we’ll youregistration with a unique code–toingive to – to give formal notice of your intention to register your guests. your partnership, just as a straight couple would. And remember, you don’t tiefor thefurther knot locally To register for a unique gifthave code to and – you can goplease anywhere you7593 like 1873 in theorUK as long as information call 020 email it has a licence. Once you’ve given notice, you have alex.long@stonewall.org.uk. 15 days to wait, plan, choose outfits, invite friends and make a fool of yourself on a stag or hen night.
Then you can get yourselves HITCHED !