Graeme Fraser, chair of Resolution’s Cohabitation Committee, was a guest on this week’s edition of BBC Radio 4’s Law in Action programme where he discussed the rights of cohabiting couples.
During the interview, which Joshua Rozenberg KC conducted, Graeme challenged the government over its decision to reject the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee’s recommended reforms – including the creation of an opt-out cohabitation scheme.
With 3.6 million cohabiting couples in the UK, they are the fastest-growing family type and currently have few legal rights when the relationship ends or if one partner dies. Many are caught out by the ‘common law marriage myth’ – believing they have legal rights when, in fact, no such protections exist.