Ending a Relationship                            

If a couple or one of the partners decide they no longer wish to live together there are a number of ways they can end the relationship. Before making a decision they will need to consider the following:-

• the type of relationship - whether the couple are married or cohabiting, heterosexual, lesbian, or gay. This will effect what legal options are available.
• whether or not there has been violence and whether there is a need for emergency action, for example, a court order for an injunction.
• whether a short-term solution is required immediately.
• whether one of the partners needs to leave temporarily to think about what to do.
• whether the partners are able to discuss the issues and reach an agreement.
• who the children (if any) will live with; how this will affect the choice of whether or not to leave; whether there will be any conflict over who cares for the children.
• whether the client has any money to live on if s/he or her/his partner leaves home.
• where either partner will live after the relationship ends and whether it is necessary to obtain the help of courts.
• how family and friends will react if the couple seperate and whether they will give the client any support.
• whether there are any specific religious or cultural considerations.

Practical matters to sort out

• Children
• Money
• Benefits
• Property and gifts
• Debts
• Nationality and immigration
• Violence
• Who to inform about the seperation.

Practical ways of ending the relationship

• Deciding to stay in the home
• Deciding to seperate but live in the same home
• Deciding to leave the home

Legal ways of ending a relationship

• Ending a cohabitation
• Seperating informally
• Separating with a seperation agreement
• Judicial seperation
• Nullity
• Divorce

Religious and cultural considerations

• Who can end a marriage
• Divorce in the UK
• Overseas divorces

Religious divorces

• Jewish religious divorces
• Muslim religious divorces
• Catholic religious annulments