Civil Partnerships

Census 2011 and Civil Partnerships

The Census is an important opportunity to gather information on same-sex couples sharing the same household, and in particular on same-sex headed families with children sharing the same household. The census will help to identify a very large but historically hidden population group.

Strong visibility of the numbers of same-sex couples and numbers of same-sex headed families with children and the other demographic information collected in this Census will be critically important in helping to promote further change for lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

Since the commencement of the Civil Partnership Act from 1st January this year, the legal category of ‘marital status’ has changed to ‘civil status’, and now incorporates the previous marital status categories of single, married, widowed etc. and the new categories relating to civil partnership – e.g. in a civil partnership, survivor of a civil partnership etc.

The new legal status has not been included in the 2011 census due in part to the fact that the census forms were being finalised and printed in 2010 when it was not yet clear when Civil Partnership would be commenced.

There is however  an opportunity in the Census for a same-sex couple to record their relationship and it also provides an opportunity to note the relationship with children in the household. This can be done in the two areas of the Census that relate to relationships:

1. Question 4 on Relationship to others in the household, including children.
2. Question 5 on Marital Status

Click here to view details on how this question should be answered and for further information on this issue.