Reading the bill’s publication files and writing a plain-English Green Book note…
Reading the bill’s publication files and writing a plain-English Green Book note…
Proposal 4138
A Bill to provide certain protections for persons who live together or have lived together as a couple; to make provision about the property of deceased persons survived by a cohabitant; and for connected purposes.
Appraisal prepared just now from the official papers. Next scheduled update after the next sitting or within about 24 hours.
Sponsor: Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames, Liberal Democrat
Open publications on bills.parliament.ukPlain-English note and Green Book five-case reading from the official papers — the heart of this page.
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In plain English
A bill to Provide certain protections for persons who live together or have lived together as a couple; to make provision about the property of deceased persons survived by a cohabitant; and for connected purposes.
(4) But subsection (3) does not apply where— (a) A and B have both reached 21 when they start living together, and (b) the younger (“A”) has not at any time before reaching 18— (i) lived in the same household as B, in circumstances where B was then in a relationship with a third person (“C”), and (ii) been treated by B as a child or grandchild of B’s relationship with C. (2) On an application under this section, the court must inquire, so far as it reasonably can, into— (a) the facts alleged by the former cohabitant who made the application (“the applicant”), and (b) the facts alleged by the other former cohabitant (“the respondent”).
A bill to Provide certain protections for persons who live together or have lived together as a couple; to make provision about the property of deceased persons survived by a cohabitant; and for connected purposes.
Same bill, simpler words — a deeper read without the jargon.
Imagine the country is making a new rule. This one is about: A bill to Provide certain protections for persons who live together or have lived together as a couple; to make provision about the property of deceased persons survived by a cohabitant; and for connected purposes.. The people who would notice most are: (4) But subsection (3) does not apply where— (a) A and B have both reached 21 when they start living together, and (b) the younger (“A”) has not at any time before reaching 18— (i) lived in the same household as B, in circumstances where B was then in a relationship with a third person (“C”), and (ii) been treated by B as a child or grandchild of B’s relationship with C. (2) On an application under this section, the court must inquire, so far as it reasonably can, into— (a) the facts alleged by the former cohabitant who made the application (“the applicant”), and (b) the facts alleged by the other former cohabitant (“the respondent”).. If it became a real law, the everyday change would be: A bill to Provide certain protections for persons who live together or have lived together as a couple; to make provision about the property of deceased persons survived by a cohabitant; and for connected purposes..
Green Book 2026 · 5 Case Model
A bill to Provide certain protections for persons who live together or have lived together as a couple; to make provision about the property of deceased persons survived by a cohabitant; and for connected purposes.
It is currently at Committee stage in the Lords, sponsored by Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames, Liberal Democrat.
Passage signals — procedural trajectory, not a merit judgement
Cohabitation Rights Bill [HL] is a private member's bill (starting in the lords), currently at Committee stage in the Lords. Its progress so far does not clearly point either way. The signals below show what is helping it and what is holding it back.
Lords private members' bills must find a Commons sponsor and Friday time after passing the Lords, so very few become law.
The bill passed its second reading — the vote on its principle — and is now being examined line by line in committee.
The bill sat recently and no future date is needed yet for it to be considered active.
This outlook reads the bill's procedural trajectory only — its type, the stage it has reached, and its momentum — against how similar bills have historically progressed through Parliament. It is not a score, not a judgement on the bill's merits, and not a recommendation to support or oppose it. It sits alongside, and separate from, the Green Book five-case appraisal.
These UK Acts sit in a similar policy space and are already law. Pairing uses this proposal’s official papers (and the plain-English note themes). It is not a verdict that the proposal is redundant or unnecessary.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2026-05-11
Crime and Policing Act 2026
Nearby policy wording to this bill. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — context only, not a verdict on whether the new bill is needed.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2024-02-28
Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023
Nearby policy wording to this bill. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — context only, not a verdict on whether the new bill is needed.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2022-07-14
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022
Nearby policy wording to this bill. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — context only, not a verdict on whether the new bill is needed.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2022-03-28
Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022
Nearby policy wording to this bill. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — context only, not a verdict on whether the new bill is needed.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2019-02-13
Crime (Overseas Production Orders) Act 2019
Nearby policy wording to this bill. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — context only, not a verdict on whether the new bill is needed.
Nearby instruments in a similar policy space — lighter context while you read this UK proposal. Not a ranking, and not a recommendation.
Enacted 2026-07-20 (No. 27 of 2026)
Bill entitled an Act to amend the Planning and Development Act 2024, the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2025 and the Planning and Development Act 2000, and, in that connection, to amend certain other enactments; to amend the Housing Finance Agency Act 1981 for the purpose of increasing the borrowing limit of the Housing Finance Agency; and to provide for matters connected therewith.
Matched via Oireachtas search for “justice criminal” (Justice / crime).
Open sourceEU instrument (CELEX 32024L1385)
EU criminal-justice instrument on violence against women.
Selected as the closest EU peer for the “Justice / crime” policy category. EU law uses directives/regulations, not Commons/Lords stages.
Open source