Money and Debt
When we did a survey of what people believed about cobaiting couples, nearly two-thirds of people interviewed believed that couples have a legal responsibility to support each other financially, just as married couples do. This isn't correct. If you live together you have no legal responsibility to support each other - while you are living together or after you split up.
After a split
Despite a common myth, if you split up you will not be entitled to receive half your partner's property or maintenance payments. It doesn’t matter how long you have lived together, or if you have given up your job to look after the home or your children.
Child support
Not being married makes no difference when it comes to financial responsibility for children. You must pay child support for your biological children, or any child that you have formally adopted. You do not have to pay child support for your partner's children from previous relationships.
Debts
You are not responsible for debts in your partner's name. You are only responsible for debts in your name. Where loans or credit agreements are in both names you are both responsible for the whole debt. If your partner doesn’t pay their half of the debt you can’t just say “here’s my half, talk to him about the rest”; you are still legally responsible for the other half as well.
If you are being asked to pay debts that you don’t think you are responsible for you should get advice.
When companies calculate your credit rating they often take into account the credit rating of other people at your address. You can ask them to stop this and remove other people from your file, even if they are your partner. But if there is a clear financial connection between you (i.e. if you have a joint account together or a credit card in both your names) they may refuse.
