On 29 March 2014, gay couples became entitled to enter into a marriage - a subject which has caused a lot of media attention. The legal provisions in this area are complex. The law prohibits the Church of England from performing same sex weddings, and permits other religious organisations to refuse to perform them.
Since the introduction of the Civil Partnership Act 2004, same sex couples have been permitted to enter into a civil partnership. This legal arrangement is a purely civil process and gives a couple the same property, inheritance, social security and pension rights as a couple of opposite sex in a marriage.
The interrelationship between gay marriage and civil partnerships has not yet been resolved. At the moment it is not possible to convert a civil partnership into a marriage although it is hoped that civil partners will be granted this right later in 2014.
For more information go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/comparison-of-civil-partnership-and-marriage-for-same-sex-couples
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