Civil Partnership

The Civil Partnership Act came into force on 5th December 2005.

For DWP(Department for Work & Pensions) benefits, including Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, this means that same sex couples, who have formed a civil partnership or who are living together as if they were civil partners, will be treated in the same way as opposite sex couples who are married or are living together as husband and wife. This will mean that some people, who previously claimed benefits as a single person, will have to re-claim as part of a couple.

Failure to inform your local authority dealing with your Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit claim that you are forming a civil partnership or are living together as civil partners could mean that your Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit is overpaid and you may be asked to repay it.