Civil partners will have equal treatment in a wide range of legal matters with married couples, including... 

• Employment Benefits
• Income tax and inheritance tax.
• Most state and occupational pension benefits
• Income related benefits, tax credits and child support
• Duty to provide reasonable maintenance for your civil partners and any children of the family
• Ability to apply for parental responsibility for your civil partner’s child
• Inheritance of a tenancy agreement
• Recognition under intestacy rules
• Access to fatal accidents compensation
• Protection from domestic violence
• Recognition from immigration and nationality purposes

A partnership is formed when the second of the two parties signs the partnership papers. This is not necessarily a public ceremony or even an event that happens at the same time as the first signature.
This flexibility means that couples can essentially become partnered in private, if they wish. In contrast, a marriage happens when the partners exchange spoken words and also sign the register.
Another important distinction is that marriage as a word has religious connotations, even if a ceremony is only civil. Marriages can be conducted by Church of England clergy without any civil preliminaries being required. Civil partnerships are only conducted by registrars.
There were political reasons for avoiding the term "gay marriage". Ministers were very careful to avoid using this kind of shorthand as they realised that the Act would have had a far harder time in going through parliament. They stress that partnerships are an entirely new legal concept.

There are some practical differences...

The government says that it wanted civil partnerships to provide as far as possible the same rights and responsibilities as for a married couple. Campaigners who advocated the change said they were more interested in getting parity for same-sex couples, which they achieved, than the terminology.
Clearly it's going to be a matter of personal taste. Among the first couples planning a partnership, some are referring it to "gay weddings" while others are not.

There are also many similarities to a marriage...

Couples need to give public notice of their intention to partner in the same way as a man and woman who are marrying. The record of the partnership is also an official public document kept by the General Registry Office in England and Wales (and its equivalents in Scotland and Northern Ireland).
Civil partners will have duties in every way the same as married couples: Children within the family will need to be looked after; the second partner will be able to seek parental responsibility, similar to step-father/mother arrangements in heterosexual families.
A partner will be expected to provide reasonable maintenance and be part of the process of assessing a couple for benefits, if necessary. Crucially, the union does not end if someone walks away; civil partners will be required to go through a court-based dissolution which will address the same issues as any divorce settlement.

The Legal Procedure...

You can give notice of your intention to form a civil partnership from 5 December 2005 and the earliest a civil partnership can be formed is 21 December 2005. 

A civil partnership can be formed in England and Wales at a register office or an approved premise.
The General Register Office has information on the process and costs.

The Department for Work and Pensions has published a leaflet containing information on how partnerships may affect your benefits.

The Woman and Equality Unit has published some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about civil partnerships.

Civil Partnerships information can also be obtained from the General Register Office 

For more information please see the following links....>>   BBC       Direct Gov

You can find out all about our wedding functions by visiting our WEDDINGS & RECEPTIONS PAGE on this web-site. 

You will find the warmest of welcomes at Craig-y-Nos Castle and our staff will go out of their way to ensure you enjoy  your extra-special occasion. 

Throughout the year we occasionally have a Sunday Carvery available to residents and non-residents.
Please click here to see all the details 

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