10/06/2026
The government has launched a major consultation on reforms to family law when relationships end, including divorce, cohabiting couples, and inheritance where someone dies without a will.
While the proposals covers a number of areas, the most significant changes relate to cohabiting couples who live together without being married or in a civil partnership. At present, cohabiting couples in England and Wales have very limited legal protection if they separate or if one partner dies without a will. There is no legal status of "common law spouse".
The consultation proposes a new statutory framework for eligible cohabiting couples at the point of separation. This would allow qualifying cohabitants to bring financial claims when a relationship ends, introducing a more structured approach than currently exists.
It also explores reforms to inheritance rules, where unmarried partners currently have no automatic rights under intestacy if their partner dies without a will.
This is a consultation only. No changes have been made to the law at this stage. The consultation runs until 14 August 2026, after which the government will consider responses before deciding whether to bring forward legislation.
If implemented, these reforms would represent one of the most significant shifts in how financial outcomes are dealt with when relationships end, particularly for cohabiting couples.
Read the full article on our website.