From 10th December 2014 same sex couples in a civil partnership will be able to convert this to a marriage. This announcement from Culture and Equalities Minister Sajid Javid was made on 26th June in Pink News (www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/06/26). Marriage for same sex couples was introduced on 29th March 2014 , but there has been no legal mechanism in place to allow conversion for people in an existing civil partnerships.
The procedure for converting a civil partnership into marriage will involve attending at a register office and signing a declaration in front of a registrar. This should be straightforward process and it is up to the couples involved whether they have another celebration or keep it low key.
The Minister announced another important change in the law – from December transgender couples would not have to end their marriage if one party wishes to change their legal gender, provided the other agrees.
After a public consultation it was decided that civil partnerships would not become available for opposite sex couples. Some commentators have stated that it is discriminatory that opposite sex couples are unable to enter into civil partnerships.
Going forward, it is difficult to foresee how many civil partnerships will be entered into considering that marriage is sure to be the more attractive option for same sex couples.
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