All couples in England and Wales will be able to apply for a Civil Partnership by the end of the year, the Government has announced, giving more than 3 million people greater financial security.
The move, an extension of the original Civil Partnerships Act 2004, will give millions of unmarried, cohabiting couples, equal rights on savings, tax, and pensions benefits as those who wed in a traditional ceremony.
It also means they won't have to foot the £27,000 average cost of a wedding, which millions cannot afford.
Under new rules, cohabiting couples who decide not to marry will be given the option to tie the knot in a speedy, paper agreement instead.
It was , after the Supreme Court ruled that a ban on it was in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.
In the UK, there are currently 3.3 million unmarried couples who live together with shared financial responsibilities, nearly half of them with children, the Government said.
However, at present, these households do not have the same legal protections as those who officially marry.
Announcing the changes, the government said extending civil partnerships will give couples more choice and security.
This will also include the £250 marriage tax allowance, a benefit which unmarried couples cannot access because they're not legally binding in the eyes of the law.
The law will be enforced by the end of 2019, alongside a consultation on how to ensure couples in England and Wales can access the form of legal union that best suits them.
Minister for women and equalities, Penny Mordaunt, said: "There are all sorts of reasons why people may choose not to marry, but for a long time it has been the only option for many wanting the legal security it provides.
"Last year the Prime Minister announced government would support the extension of civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples. This is a fantastic step, providing an alternative to marriage for these couples.
"We must now consider those who didn’t haven’t had this as an option previously, that’s why we’re consulting on whether opposite-sex married couples can convert their marriages to civil partnerships."
Steve Webb, director of policy at Royal London, said: “It is very good news that the Government has responded to the recent court judgment by pressing ahead with legislation to allow all couples to register a civil partnership.
"Couples who live together have been second class citizens for far too long when it comes to their treatment by the tax and benefit system.
"Registering for a civil partnership will bring access to a range of help from the tax and benefit system, and millions of couples will want to think if this is the right thing for them to do".
