Whatever their marital status, parents have a responsibility to provide for their children financially. At times, steps need to be taken to ensure that a parent meets this obligation; particularly where one parent does not reside with their child and is not managing their day-to-day care. In most cases, recourse to the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) will be sufficient to ensure the appropriate amount of maintenance is paid.
Background
On the 8th of February 2017, the Supreme Court passed judgment in favour of cohabitant Denise Brewster, concluding that NILGOSC’s* decision not to award her a survivor’s pension; following the unexpected death of her fiancée, was unlawful.
With over 3.1 million unmarried couples living together in the UK today, compared with 1.5 million back in 1996, it seems more and more of us want to put-off marrying, or avoid marriage completely. Given that fact, it is now more important than ever to appreciate that the way the law affects you can vary quite radically; depending on who you live with, and the nature of your relationship.
