Dissolution for civil partnerships

Dissolution is the same as divorce

Since the introduction of same-sex marriage in 2014, many same-sex couples have chosen to marry rather than form civil partnerships. However, civil partnerships remain an option, and the process for ending them – dissolution – mirrors divorce in almost every way.

The key differences are terminology only:

The legal process, timelines, costs, and court forms are essentially identical.

Eligibility for dissolution

To apply for dissolution, you must:

• Have been in a civil partnership for at least 12 months
• Have a civil partnership that is legally recognised in England and Wales
• Meet the residency requirements (you or your civil partner live in England or Wales, or have a connection here)
• Confirm that your civil partnership has irretrievably broken down

Like divorce, dissolution now follows the no-fault system. You don’t need to give reasons or prove anyone was at fault – you simply state that the partnership has broken down permanently.

How to apply

You apply for dissolution through the same GOV.UK portal used for divorce, using Form D8 (the same form works for both divorce and dissolution).

You can apply:

• Jointly with your civil partner, sharing responsibility for progressing the application
• On your own (sole application), with your civil partner being notified as the respondent

The court fee is £593 – the same as divorce.

The dissolution timeline

The process follows the same mandatory waiting periods as divorce:

Finances and children

As with divorce, dissolution only ends the legal status of your civil partnership. You’ll also need to address:

Finances – the court can make the same financial orders in dissolution as in divorce, including property division, pension sharing, and maintenance. You should get a consent order to make any agreement legally binding.

Children – arrangements for children are handled the same way regardless of whether you’re dissolving a civil partnership or divorcing. If you can’t agree, the court can make child arrangements orders.

Converting a civil partnership to marriage

If you’re in a civil partnership but would prefer to be married, you can convert your civil partnership to a marriage without ending it first. This might be relevant if:

• You’d prefer the status of marriage
• There are practical benefits to being married in your circumstances
• You later want to divorce rather than dissolve

Converting is straightforward and costs £45. You can then divorce in the future if the marriage breaks down.

However, if your civil partnership has already broken down, there’s no advantage to converting before dissolving – you’d just be adding an extra step.

Annulment of civil partnerships

Like marriages, civil partnerships can be annulled rather than dissolved if they were never legally valid. The grounds for annulment are similar to those for marriage, including:

• Either partner was under 16
• Either partner was already in a marriage or civil partnership
• The partners are closely related
• Proper legal formalities weren’t followed
• There was no valid consent (due to duress, mistake, or mental incapacity)

Note that non-consummation is not grounds for annulling a civil partnership (unlike marriage).

If you think your civil partnership might be void or voidable, seek legal advice.

Support during dissolution

All the support services, guidance, and tools available for people going through divorce apply equally to civil partnership dissolution:

• Mediators can help you reach agreement on finances and children
• Legal aid may be available if you’ve experienced domestic abuse
• Counselling and emotional support services are available
• Court fee remission can reduce costs if you’re on a low income

Throughout this website, guidance about “divorce” applies equally to dissolution unless stated otherwise.