He has been campaigning for this change after two sister wrote to him worrying they would lose their family home when the other dies because they would not be able to afford the inheritance tax.<doc-sep>T heresa May has said for the first time ever gay and straight people will have "the same choices in life" as they will be allowed to enter into civil partnerships instead of getting married. The Prime Minister revealed to the Standard that new laws will end an anomaly where same-sex couples can choose two ways of tying the knot - either getting married or through a civil partnership - but opposite-sex couples are limited to marriage. News of the new laws was welcomed by equality campaigners as both routes will now be open to all couples in the future. As well as making the law equal, the change will open up a new option for millions of couples who dislike the idea of traditional marriage but want full legal recognition of their relationship, which is vital to provide security for them and their children. But what is the difference between a civil partnership and a marriage in the UK? Here's everything you need to know. What is a civil partnership? A civil partnership is a legal contract which gives the couple concerned rights and responsibilities in respect of each other and, in the eyes of the law, places them on a virtually identical footing to those who are married. One of the most significant benefits is that those in civil partnerships have the same inheritance rights as a married couple, allowing one partner to pass on their property to the other, rather than facing a big tax bill. Couples who dislike the idea of traditional marriage but want full legal recognition of their relationship will soon have the option of a civil partnership. How will the change benefit heterosexual couples? At the moment, only same sex couples can form a civil partnership. Their right to do so was introduced to give them legal equality at a time when gay marriage was not permitted. Heterosexual couples were not included in the legislation then on the grounds that they were already able to gain these legal rights through marriage. Why opt for a civil partnership over marriage? Most heterosexual couples who want to form a legal union will probably continue to take this route either through a church wedding or, if they prefer to avoid a religious ceremony, through a civil marriage instead. But despite these options some say dislike the institution of marriage and would prefer to unite legally in a different manner, which a civil partnership will permit. Some cohabiting couples might also want to form a civil partnership, to secure their legal rights, before moving on to the potentially more costly and time consuming step of planning a conventional wedding. Will cohabiting couples be affected by the change?<doc-sep>Those who cheered the news last week about a drop in divorce rates may be less thrilled with Theresa May’s latest announcement. This morning, May announced that straight couples will now have the right to enter into civil partnerships. This follows the landmark case of Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan, who went to court demanding the right for a mixed sex civil partnership. The couple had to go all the way to the Supreme Court before winning their case. Civil partnerships were previously only available to same sex couples and were initially introduced to provide them with the same legal rights as married couples when equal marriage remained illegal. Once same sex marriage became legal in 2014, it meant homosexual couples had the choice between marriage and civil partnerships, while heterosexual couples could only marry. Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan’s case lasted for years and was covered widely in the press. It provoked much debate over the status of marriage in our society. Critics of the civil partnership for mixed sex couples worry it will discourage couples from traditional marriage, arguing that that provides the most solid foundation for family life. But, in truth, when it comes to civil partnerships for all, we are late to the party. Just across the Channel, our French cousins have had the right to civil partnerships since 1999. The pacte civil de solidarité, known as the Pacs, allows same sex and mixed sex couples to enter into civil partnerships equally. While the Pacs is not the same as marriage in terms of legal and inheritance benefits, it does provide significant tax benefits and provides a legal contract for two people sharing their lives together. Moreover, a couple who enter into a Pacs – known as a pacsé couple – do not even need to be in a romantic relationship. So, in theory, two housemates or even cousins could get a Pacs and receive tax benefits. The French government does draw the line, however, at Pacs for immediate relatives, meaning siblings or a parent and adult child cannot enter into a Pacs together. Despite these very liberal rules over who can enter into a Pacs, it is, unsurprisingly, most popular with couples. Those in the UK who fear that the opening up of civil partnerships to more people will be detrimental to marriage may well have a point when you look at the numbers in France. As the popularity of Pacs has increased, the number of marriages has gone down. The latest figures from France’s National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies show a steady decline in the number of marriages over the past 10 years. In 2016, there were 3,600 less marriages than in 2015. Interestingly, there was a small rise in the number of marriages in 2014, the year after same sex marriage became legal in France. The popularity of Pacs with heterosexual couples has been a favourite topic of analysis in France for a while. French sociologist Jean-Claude Kaufmann notes that Pacs is more popular among younger couples and that it offers an “in-between” option which bridges single life and full commitment. It is certainly much simpler to get out of a Pacs than a marriage – requiring only an official letter being sent to your local court. 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Every couple in England and Wales will in future be able to choose between a civil partnership and marriage when they formalise their relationship, the prime minister has announced. Ending months of uncertainty following defeat in the supreme court, the government has agreed to extend civil partnerships – available to same-sex couples since 2005 – to everyone. In a statement at the Conservative party conference in Birmingham, Theresa May said she would end the ban on heterosexual couples entering civil partnerships. Equality campaigners welcomed the decision, but warned commissioning a consultation would impose unnecessary delays on a straightforward change. The government had been due to respond to a ruling in June that it was discriminatory to restrict civil partnerships to gay couples. Justices at the UK’s highest court unanimously found in favour of Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan, and declared their human rights had been breached. In her announcement, May said: “This change in the law helps protect the interests of opposite-sex couples who want to commit, want to formalise their relationship, but don’t necessarily want to get married. Quick Guide Explainer: civil partnerships Show Civil partnerships were created in 2004 as a means of allowing same-sex couples to enter into a union that guarantees them similar legal rights to those who are married. They were limited to same-sex couples but in October 2018, following a supreme court ruling declaring the existing position discriminatory, the government announced that heterosexual couples would also be entitled to enter the arrangement. There are differences between the two forms of union, partially symbolic and partially matters of substance. For a marriage, the ceremony is solemnised by the couple saying a prescribed form of words; in a civil partnership, the couple can simply sign a document. Marriages can be conducted through either a civil or religious ceremony, at a registry office, church or wherever a venue is licensed. Civil partnerships are secular events, although partners can choose to hold a religious ceremony on the day. Civil partners cannot declare, for legal purposes, that they are married. Civil partnership certificates include the names of both parents of the parties whereas marriage certificates in England and Wales include only the names of a couple's fathers – for the time being. In terms of annulment the rules are virtually identical, although the clause that permits a marriage to be dissolved if one partner is 'suffering from a venereal disease in a communicable form' does not apply to civil partnerships. Likewise, adultery can be grounds for a married couple to divorce though it cannot be relied upon to end a civil partnership. Those in civil partnerships and those who are married enjoy the same tax breaks and benefits – such as the marriage allowance and bereavement payments. Surviving civil partners are treated the same as widows or widowers in terms of rights to state pension. While those who are married and in civil partnerships enjoy extensive legal rights, those who are merely cohabiting – 3.3 million couples at the last estimate – have no legal protections or property rights if one of them dies. Was this helpful? Thank you for your feedback. “As home secretary, I was proud to sponsor the legislation that created equal marriage. Now, by extending civil partnerships, we are making sure that all couples, be they same sex or opposite sex, are given the same choices in life.” The equalities minster, Penny Mordaunt, said: “This is an important step forward for equality. There are all sorts of reasons why people may choose not to marry. “By giving couples this option, we hope to give them and their families more certainty and security. I pay tribute to all who have campaigned for this change and will introduce the change as swiftly as possible.” The chairman of the Equal Civil Partnerships campaign, Martin Loat, said: “It’s great news, but let’s get on with it. What’s missing in the announcement is a timeline.” He suggested that while the government wanted to carry out a consultation, Tim Loughton’s private member’s bill, which originally aimed to create equal civil partnerships, could be used to make the change when it returned to the House of Commons on 26 October. There are about 3.3 million unmarried couples in England and Wales. None have any legal partnership rights. The Marriage Foundation supports extending civil partnerships to heterosexual couples, saying they are “infinitely preferable to unthinking and risky cohabitation”.