The Office for National Statistics has revealed that Same-sex couples formed 6,385 civil partnerships (3,119 male and 3,266 female) in the UK in 2010, an increase of 1.7 per cent compared with 2009.

The Civil Partnership ACt 2004 came into force on 5 December 2005 in the UK; the first day couples give notice of their intention to form a civil partnership. The Act enables same-sex couples aged 16 and over to obtain legal recognition of their relationship. The total number of partnerships formed since the Civil Partnership Act came into force in December 2005 up to the end of 2010 is 46, 622.

To obtain a civial partneship dissolution in the UK, a couple must have been in either a registered civil partneship or a same-sex partnership recognised abroad for 12 months. There were 509 civil partnership dissolutions granted in the UK in 2010, of which 203 were to male couples and 306 to female couples. The number of civil partnership dissolutions has therefore increased by 44 per cent since 2009 when there were only 353.

For advice on obtaining a civil partnership dissolution please cll 0151 236 1234 or enter your details on our home page for a quick call back.