Civil Partnership Act 2004

Part 1 E+W The prohibitions

Absolute prohibitions E+W

1 (1) Two people are within prohibited degrees of relationship if one falls within the list below in relation to the other. E+W

• Adoptive child

• Adoptive parent

• Child

• Former adoptive child

• Former adoptive parent

• Grandparent

• Grandchild

• Parent

• Parent’s sibling

• Sibling

• Sibling’s child

(2) In the list “sibling” means a brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister.

Qualified prohibitions E+W

2 (1) Two people are within prohibited degrees of relationship if one of them falls within the list below in relation to the other, unless— E+W

(a) both of them have reached 21 at the time when they register as civil partners of each other, and

(b) the younger has not at any time before reaching 18 been a child of the family in relation to the other.

• Child of former civil partner

• Child of former spouse

• Former civil partner of grandparent

• Former civil partner of parent

• Former spouse of grandparent

• Former spouse of parent

• Grandchild of former civil partner

• Grandchild of former spouse

(2) “Child of the family”, in relation to another person, means a person who—

(a) has lived in the same household as that other person, and

(b) has been treated by that other person as a child of his family.

Prospective

3 E+W Two people are within prohibited degrees of relationship if one falls within column 1 of the table below in relation to the other, unless—

(a) both of them have reached 21 at the time when they register as civil partners of each other, and

(b) the persons who fall within column 2 are dead.

Relationship	Relevant deaths
Former civil partner of child	The child The child’s other parent
Former spouse of child	The child The child’s other parent
Parent of former civil partner	The former civil partner The former civil partner’s other parent
Parent of former spouse	The former spouse The former spouse’s other parent