Types of relationship within which civil partnership is unlawful

Civil partnership registration may not possible if the parties are related.

Circumstances where a civil partnership is not possible

Two people cannot enter into a civil partnership if one falls within the list below in relation to the other.

• adoptive child
• adoptive parent
• child
• former adoptive child
• former adoptive parent
• grandparent
• grandchild
• parent
• parent’s sibling
• sibling
• sibling’s child

In the list  the term 'sibling' means a brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister.

Circumstances where a civil partnership may be possible

Two people cannot enter into a civil partnership if one falls within the following list in relation to the other - with some exceptions:

• child of former civil partner
• child of former spouse
• former civil partner of grandparent
• former civil partner of parent
• former spouse of grandparent
• former spouse of parent
• grandchild of former civil partner
• grandchild of former spouse

Exceptions

• both of them have reached 21 at the time when they register as civil partners of each other, and
• the younger has not at any time before reaching 18 lived in the same household as that other person, and been treated by that other person as a child of his/her family