A civil partnership is a legally recognised relationship for same-sex and opposite-sex couples in England and Wales, introduced under the Civil Partnership Act 2004 and extended to opposite-sex couples in 2019.
A civil partnership is formed by signing a register (no spoken vows are required). There is no ceremony equivalent to a religious wedding (though a secular ceremony can accompany the signing). In terms of legal rights — next of kin, inheritance, tax, pension rights — civil partners have the same protections as married spouses.
A civil partnership is ended by dissolution, which follows a similar process to divorce. The 'no fault' dissolution process introduced for divorce in 2022 also applies to civil partnerships.
Some couples prefer the term 'civil partner' over 'husband/wife'. Others choose it for its secular associations. The legal protections are equivalent to marriage. Both routes provide essential legal protection that cohabiting couples do not have.