Hi Graham

Married couples and those in in same sex civil partnerships can claim the allowance. Plus there is a further payment of up to £112 which can be claimed for up to one year after bereavement.

But those six million people in the UK living as common law partners are not eligible.

Even if like me have been together 40 years. Apparently it is too difficult to ascertain if we really are partners. Although it was easy enough for the authorities to certify we were partners when a tax payment was due to be paid to HMRC and again when it suited them to reduce a certain benefit payment during a period of illness.

The recent interest in this was due to the discrimination element involved against those living as partners even if they have paid NI and tax for 40+ years. A group of MPs had challenged the government as some 7000 newly-bereaved partners receive nothing as they are not married or in a civil partnership.

A further case heard in the high court on Friday by Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan, a heterosexual couple who claimed it was discriminatory not to be able to enter a civil partnership rather than marry lost their challenge. It seems there is still some way to go in treating all people equally, under the law.  Kim

Absolute madness that they can accept you're partners when they benefit financially but if you want something it's not acknowledged. You have to provide your marriage certificate so I know I'd get nowhere and wouldn't bother trying.

Absolute madness that they can accept you're partners when they benefit financially but if you want something it's not acknowledged. You have to provide your marriage certificate so I know I'd get nowhere and wouldn't bother trying.