How to deal with the property of a person who has died Everything owned by a person who has died is known as their estate. The estate may be made up of: money, both cash and money in a bank or building society account. This could include money paid out on a life insurance policy money owed to the person who has died shares property, for example, their home personal possessions, for example, their car or jewellery. If the person who died owes money to other people, for example, on a credit card, for fuel, for rent or a mortgage, this comes out of the estate. The...

Registering the death The registration of the death is the formal record of the death. It's done by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. It’s a criminal offence not to register a death. You can find out how to register a death in the UK or abroad on GOV.UK. You’ll be told who can register the death, what they need to do and what documents they’ll need. When a coroner is needed Anyone who is unhappy about the cause of a death can inform a coroner about it, but in most cases a death will be reported to a coroner by a doctor or the police. A coroner is a doctor or lawyer appointed...

If your relationship ends and you have children, you’ll need to agree where your children live. You’ll also need to decide how much time they spend with each of you. This is called making 'child arrangements'. Child arrangements are usually an informal agreement - but it can help to write them down. You’ll only need to go to court if there’s been violence or abuse in your relationship, or you really can’t agree. Sorting out how to pay for your children is another part of making child arrangements - find out more about working out child maintenance. Important You can get advice and support...

Mediation is a way of sorting any differences between you and your ex-partner, with the help of a third person who won’t take sides. The third person is called a mediator. They can help you reach an agreement about issues with money, property or children. You can try mediation before going to a solicitor. If you go to a solicitor first, they’ll probably talk to you about whether using mediation first could help.  You don’t have to go to mediation, but if you end up having to go to court to sort out your differences, you normally need to prove you’ve been to a mediation information and assessment...

Separating from a partner can have a big impact on your finances, especially if you relied on their income during your relationship. If your marriage or civil partnership ends, you can ask for financial support - known as ‘spousal maintenance’ - from your ex-partner as soon as you separate. This is in addition to any child maintenance they might have to pay. If you weren't married or in a civil partnership, you’ll have to share the costs of looking after any children you have together - but you don’t have to support each other financially when you separate. You can ask your ex-partner for...

When you separate from your partner, there are things you'll need to work out. The partner you’re separating from could be your husband, wife or civil partner - even if you’re not divorcing or ending your civil partnership straight away. You need to have been married for at least 1 year before you can divorce or end your civil partnership. It could also be a partner you live with or have children with, but who isn’t your husband, wife or civil partner. When you separate from your partner, you might need to work out things like: where your children will live and how often they’ll see...

A civil partnership is a legal relationship which can be registered by two people who aren't related to each other. Civil partnerships are available to both same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples. Registering a civil partnership will give your relationship legal recognition. This will give you added legal rights, as well as responsibilities. To register a civil partnership, you and your partner must sign a civil partnership document in front of two witnesses and a registrar. In some situations, a couple who have not registered a civil partnership will have the same legal rights and responsibilities...

Your legal rights as a partner may depend on whether you are married or living together. Living together with someone is sometimes also called cohabitation. Generally speaking, you will have fewer rights if you're living together than if you're married. This information explains the legal differences between being married and living together. In England and Wales, this covers same-sex partners who can now get married. It does not cover civil partnerships. For more information see Civil partnerships and living together – legal differences. Legal status Living together Although there is...

Who can get married In the United Kingdom, opposite sex couples can marry in a civil or religious ceremony. Same sex couples can marry in a civil ceremony, but can only get married in a religious ceremony if the religious organisation has agreed to marry same sex couples. Same sex couples cannot marry in the Church of England or the Church in Wales. Same sex couples who marry abroad under foreign law are recognised as being married in England and Wales. You can find out more about marriage for same sex couples on the Stonewall website. All couples can marry if they're both aged 18 or over...