Knowledge and resources

Non-married cohabiting relationships continue to increase year on year, so advising clients embarking on cohabitation, those already living together wanting to understand their ‘rights’ and those whose cohabiting relationship has broken down, will continue to form an increasing part of the workload of family lawyers. This guide aims to assist Resolution members and their conveyancing lawyer and private client colleagues to manage these cases effectively, in accordance with our Code of Practice.

Should cohabiting couples have the same financial rights and responsibilities as those who are married or in a civil partnership?

The case for cohabitation reform grows with every year. Resolution is right to make it the centre of its Vision for Family Justice

We need to change some basic fundamentals of family procedure in order to ensure LiPs have a fair understanding of the separation process

At this critical juncture for family law, we are calling for cohabitation reform, access to early legal advice and a focus on the wellbeing of children

Resolution’s long-standing campaign for cohabitation reform and the new academic-led Family Law Reform Now aim to increase public awareness and change the law

As the number of people living together without marrying continues to rise, the time for an “opt-out” cohabitation law regime is now

Guest v Guest provides some welcome clarification of proprietary estoppel, but no case law can remedy the fundamental injustice of our cohabitation laws

The dynamic session on international cohabitation was a highlight of Resolution's National Conference. Chaired by Graeme Fraser of OGR Stock Denton LLP, chair of the Cohabitation Committee, the workshop consisted of a cross-border comparative exercise which was of great help to practitioners and those trying to push for legislative change in this mistreated area of the law.

How different are the outcomes for unmarried individuals in Scotland and England? To look at some of the headline differences, lawyers from each side of the border follow a couple who decide not to marry and who have connections north and south.

Hannah Saxe (Irwin Mitchell) and Richard Adams (Starke & Co) from Resolution's Cohabitation Committee discuss how to draft cohabitation agreements using Resolution's tools and resources.

In this recorded workshop, Rhys Taylor and Andrzej Bojarski cover tips on how to deal with practical issues arising from TOLATA and Children Act Schedule 1, and other related claims.

Moving in with your partner is an exciting time, and a new step in your relationship, so it's difficult to think about what would happen if you split up.

Join us as we raise awareness and campaign for basic rights for cohabiting couples upon relationship breakdown or death of a partner.

If you and your partner aren't married or in a civil partnership, you might be surprised that you have very little legal protection if you break up. It doesn’t matter if you've lived together for years or have children. You are not legally recognised as a couple, making it very difficult to claim a share in the family home or your partner’s finances if you split.

Cohabiting couples may make up the fastest growing family type, but the law doesn't recognise these couples in the same way as those who are married or in a civil partnership.

The Cohabitation Committee works to promote good practice in family law and family justice for cohabitants.

Different talks looking at the relationship between equal civil partnerships and cohabitation reform