Resolution Family Law commissioned polling to gauge the general public’s awareness of cohabitees’ rights, followed by polling specifically for cohabitees

• 74% of cohabitees agree that 'the current laws surrounding cohabitation are unfit for today’s modern society.'

• Only 35% of the population are aware that cohabitees have little or no legal rights, compared to married couples.

• Interestingly, women are more likely than men to be aware of the paucity of those rights.

• Also of interest is that more than half (53%) of cohabitees are aware that they have little or no legal rights, compared to married couples.

• Only 31% of the population wish to maintain the current legal framework for cohabitees (importantly - 37% of men and 25% of women), and 59% agree there should be some legal protections ‘but not as much as married couples’.

• The public as a whole are divided over whether to give cohabiting couples the same rights as married couples: 45% (including 49% of women) agree this should happen and 40% do not.

• More than eight in ten (83%) expect the number of cohabitees to increase over the next decade.