IBB Solicitors’ Family Law Team Meet Local MP Cheryl Gillan to Discuss Rights for Cohabiting Couples in the Local Community

Following meeting, MP offers to follow up directly with the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, David Lidington.

Two family lawyers from Chesham-based IBB Solicitors met with Cheryl Gillan, MP for Chesham and Amersham on Friday 1 December.

As part of a national campaign by Resolution[1]called Cohabitation Awareness Week, two members of the IBB team – Charlotte Southworth and Catherine O’Reilly – met the local MP to discuss the importance of cohabiting couples in the constituency having fairer rights and how they can best be supported should they choose to attend one of the MP’s surgeries.

There are now more than 3.3 million cohabiting couples in the UK[2], the fastest-growing family type. Yet despite this trend, no matter how long couples live together, they do not ever acquire the same rights as married couples.

Without any legal rights, cohabiting couples who split up and have disputes over issues regarding care of dependents or division of assets could face hefty legal and court fees to resolve issues. Cohabitees can also be left in very difficult situations when one of them passes away without a will.

At the meeting, Cheryl agreed that this is an issue that requires greater public awareness and offered to follow this up directly with the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, David Lidington.

“I was delighted to meet with Charlotte and Catherine today to discuss the growing number of cohabiting couples. It’s likely the number of cohabiting couples will continue to grow in future, and that more people will be affected by these issues. This is why I would urge all cohabiting couples to consider their legal situation, and take the necessary steps to better protect themselves in the future”.

Charlotte Southworth, IBB Solicitors, comments:

“We are very grateful for Cheryl Gillan’s time and support last Friday. It is imperative that couples who live together for long periods of time have legal rights and responsibilities, especially when they have children. British law has to catch up with the reality of increased cohabitation.”

“In the meantime, I would urge all couples living together to look at ways they can protect themselves such as drawing up a Declaration of Trust or drafting a Cohabitation Agreement, and making a Will“.

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Notes to Editors

1. The Family Law Team is eight people strong, including a partner, consultant and five lawyers.
2. The team is highly regarded in its area by the leading independent legal directories, and is described as “field[ing] a ‘consistently high standard of lawyers” by The Legal 500.
3. IBB has 26 partners. There are more than 60 other fee earners and in excess of 190 staff in total.
4. IBB Solicitors is recognised in the Legal 500 as a South East regional heavyweight.
5. The firm has offices in Uxbridge and Chesham (Bucks). It is a full-service law firm handling complex legal work for both businesses and individuals across four main practice areas — Real Estate, Corporate & Commercial, Private Client and Community Legal Services.

[1] Organisation committed to ensuring constructive, non-confrontational resolutions of family disputes

[2] Source: Office of National Statistics