Petition · past parliament · Ministry of Justice
Ensure unmarried cohabiting couples can inherit after five years.
Closed
74 signatures
What the petition asks
Change the law for couples who have lived together for more than five years, who would currently inherit nothing without a will.
The current rules on inheritance don't give any automatic rights to unmarried cohabiting partners if there is no will, which could leave many people who live together without any protection. This needs to change
Timeline
| 22 Feb 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 22 Aug 2021 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
74
Status
Closed
Department
Ministry of Justice
Opened
22 Feb 2021
Closed
22 Aug 2021
Follow this petition
Sign in to get an email when the government responds, a debate is scheduled or held, or the petition closes.
Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.