Marriage and Civil Partnership

Marriage and civil partnership and the Equality Act 2010

Under the Equality Act 2010, you must not be discriminated against in employment because you are married or in a civil partnership.

In the Equality Act, marriage and civil partnership means someone who is legally married or in a civil partnership. Marriage can either be between a man and a woman, or between partners of the same sex. Civil partnership is between partners of the same sex.

People are not protected under the legislation if they are:

• single.
• living with someone as a couple in a “common-law” relationship (neither married nor civil partners).
• engaged to be married but not married.
• divorced or a person whose civil partnership has been dissolved.

If you need further advice about an issues relating to age, please contact the EDI team.