SCHEDULE 2Transitional provision in relation to opposite-sex overseas relationships

Regulation 6

Interpretation1

In this Schedule—

  • “the 2004 Act” means the Civil Partnership Act 2004;

  • “the commencement date” means the date on which these Regulations come into force;

  • “a relevant pre-commencement relationship” means a relationship that is—

    1. a

      an overseas relationship treated as a civil partnership for the purposes of the 2004 Act as a result of the amendments made by these Regulations, and

    2. b

      registered (under the relevant law within the meaning of Chapter 2 of Part 5 of the 2004 Act) as having been entered into before the commencement date.

Requirements as to other relationships in order for pre-commencement relationships to be recognised as civil partnerships2

1

Sub-paragraph (2) applies in relation to a relationship that would, disregarding this paragraph and section 212(1)(b)(ii) of the 2004 Act as it applies without this paragraph, be a relevant pre-commencement relationship.

2

Section 212(1)(b) of the 2004 Act has effect as if, for sub-paragraph (ii), there were substituted—

ii

neither of whom was, when the relationship was registered—

aa

lawfully married,

bb

a civil partner, or

cc

in another relationship registered as mentioned above, which continues to subsist at the time when the Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) Regulations 2019 come into force and is at that time an overseas relationship treated as a civil partnership for the purposes of this Act, and

iii

neither of whom is, immediately before the Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) Regulations 2019 come into force, lawfully married or a civil partner.

Treatment as civil partnership for certain purposes of relationships terminated before commencement3

The following provisions are specified for the purposes of section 215(5D)(b) of the 2004 Act (as amended by these Regulations)—

a

in the case of a marriage celebrated on or after the commencement date, section 28B68 of, and Schedule 169 to, the Marriage Act 1949;

b

in the case of a notice of marriage given on or after the commencement date, section 27 of that Act70;

c

the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 197571;

d

the Fatal Accidents Act 197672;

e

in the case of a bankruptcy where the bankruptcy order was made on or after the commencement date—

i

sections 283A73, 31374, 313A75, 33276, 335A77 and 36678 of the Insolvency Act 1986, and

ii

rules 10.167, 10.168, 10.169 and 10.171 of the Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 201679;

f

Schedule 1 to the Children Act 198980;

g

sections 3381, 3582 and 3783 of, and Schedule 784 to, the Family Law Act 1996;

h

sections 985, 65 and 68 of, and Schedule 186 to, the 2004 Act.

Transitional modifications of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 to do with dissolution, financial matters etc.4

1

Section 41 of the 2004 Act applies in relation to a relevant pre-commencement relationship as if, for “formation of the civil partnership”, there were substituted “registration of the relationship”.

2

Section 65 of the 2004 Act applies to a contribution made by a party to a relevant pre-commencement relationship as if—

a

for “a civil partner” there were substituted “a party to the relationship”;

b

for “the civil partners”, in each place it occurs, there were substituted “the parties to the relationship”; and

c

for “the contributing partner” there were substituted “the contributing party”.

3

Paragraph 21(2)(d) of Schedule 5 to the 2004 Act (including as it applies by virtue of paragraph 10(3)(a) of Schedule 7 to that Act) applies to an application made in relation to a relevant pre-commencement relationship under Part 1 of Schedule 5 or Part 1 of Schedule 7 to that Act as if, for “the duration of the civil partnership”, there were substituted “the duration of the relationship by virtue of which they are treated as having formed a civil partnership”.

4

Paragraph 5(2)(d) of Schedule 6 to the 2004 Act applies to an application made in relation to a relevant pre-commencement relationship under Part 1 of that Schedule as if, for “the duration of the civil partnership”, there were substituted “the duration of the relationship by virtue of which they are treated as having formed a civil partnership”.

Pre-commencement wills not to be revoked by virtue of recognition of pre-commencement relationships as civil partnerships5

The formation of a civil partnership treated as having occurred, in relation to a pre-commencement relationship, by section 215(5B) of the 2004 Act (as amended by these Regulations) does not have effect under section 18B of the Wills Act 183787 to revoke a will made before the commencement date.

Disapplication of earlier transitional provision6

1

Article 3 of the Civil Partnership (Treatment of Overseas Relationships) Order 200588 and article 2(1) of the Civil Partnership (Treatment of Overseas Relationships No. 2) Order 200589 do not apply in relation to a relevant pre-commencement relationship.

2

Article 5 of the Civil Partnership (Treatment of Overseas Relationships) Order 2005 does not apply in relation to a relationship within paragraph 2(1).