The Christian Institute and the Coalition for Marriage have warned that the government’s plan to put cohabiting couples on the same legal footing as married couples is unfair and would serve to undermine marriage.
Last week the government began a consultation on giving more rights to the 3.5 million unmarried couples in the country.
Among the proposals is a plan to allow bereaved unmarried partners automatic inheritance in the absence of a will. Unmarried partners can also expect to receive a share in the sale of a house and other financial protections under the plans.
The government said its plans are “overdue reforms to protect women and meet the needs of modern relationships”.
Legally, a couple can only qualify for these new benefits if they have been together for at least three years or if they have a child together.
Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy, said, “When a relationship comes to an end, each partner should have the support and certainty they need to rebuild their life.
“We’re launching this consultation to make sure our new family law builds a fair system that offers the most vulnerable protection in the event of a breakup,and at a time where the country is facing cost of living pressures.
“Whether you’ve been left bereaved by the sudden and unexpected death of a partner, or escaped horrific domestic abuse, our laws should work to protect you.”
Joanna Timm, Senior Policy Officer at The Christian Institute, is sceptical of the plans.
“Taking the legal benefits that come from publicly committing to one another and giving them to people who haven’t made that commitment is unfair,” she said.
“It also discourages people from getting married since it creates the perception that marriage and cohabitation are the same thing. They are not.
“The break up rate for cohabitation is, of course, much higher. Marriage is uniquely beneficial for couples, their children, and for society, so we should be celebrating and encouraging marriage, not undermining it.”
The Coalition for Marriage commented, “No one should make light of the hardship a cohabiting partner can face when a relationship ends or a loved one dies. Those situations are real and painful.
“But the answer is not to erase the line between marriage and cohabitation. It is to tell people the truth, encourage marriage, and remind anyone who wishes to provide for a partner that they can do so today by making a will.
“You do not uphold marriage by building its replacement.”
