Civil Partnerships: first anniversaries

2.29.52pm GMT Mon 4th Dec 2006

Official figures show that same-sex couples have registered 15,672 civil partnerships formed in the UK between December 2005 and the end of September 2006. The initial burst of 2,000 in the first month has reduced to around 1,500 ceremonies a month, so after the first twelve months around 36,000 people will have had their relationship formally recognised.

DELGA Chair Jen Yockney said, "what the figures reflect is just how widespread takeup has been, not only in the obvious places such as London, Brighton and Manchester but across every part of Britain."

"Civil Partnerships were considered controversial when the Lib Dems first made them Party policy six years ago. It is great to see them become law and allowing so many same-sex couples to have their loving relationships recognised in law."