Statistics show civil partership in decline

CIVIL partnerships in Halton have fallen since the introduction of same-sex marriages, the latest figures show.

The Office For National Statistics (ONS) has published the statistics for England and Wales. In Halton, the figures cover 2008 to 2014.

Leglistation to allow same-sex marriage in the UK came into force in March 2014.

The figures show that there were nine civil partnerships in Runcorn and Widnes in both 2008 and 2009.

The number dropped to seven ceremonies in both 2010 and 2011, before rising to nine in 2012.

Civil partnerships in the borough numbered seven in 2013, but dropped to just one in 2014, the year in which same-sex marriage was allowed in the UK. Across England and Wales in 2015 the ONS figures showed that 861 civil partnerships, a drop of 49% from 1,683 in 2014. Civil partnership formations have dropped by 85% since 2013.

Elizabeth McLaren from the ONS’s Vital Statistics Outputs Branch said: “Civil partnerships have fallen sharply since the introduction of marriages for same sex couples in March 2014.

“On the other hand, civil partnership dissolutions have increased due to the rising number of civil partnerships that were formed since they were introduced in December 2005.

“Dissolutions are likely to reduce in the future as more same sex couples form marriages instead of civil partnerships.”