Government proposes three-year rule to grant limited rights to cohabiting couples
The government is consulting on a new “three-year” rule that would give unmarried partners in England and Wales limited financial rights after separation or death.
A government consultation aims to introduce a “three-year” threshold for unmarried couples in England and Wales to qualify for a limited set of financial protections. Under the plan, partners who have cohabited for three years or share a child could potentially claim a portion of property proceeds, a capital payment, pension sharing orders, or maintenance, though the scope is narrower than marital rights. Presently, cohabiting partners have no automatic inheritance or support entitlements regardless of relationship length.
Family solicitor Hannah Saxe highlighted that existing remedies are sparse and that the new framework would still require meeting specific criteria. The proposal also intends to give greater weight to domestic-abuse considerations, including economic abuse, when courts allocate finances. The public is invited to comment before the government decides on the final measures.
Why it matters
It could affect millions of cohabiting couples by granting them limited financial security after separation or a partner’s death.
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