Discrimination?

This is useful

www.stchristophers.org.uk/leaflet/frequently-asked-questions-about-%E2%80%98next-of-kin%E2%80%99-and-power-of-attorney

I was referring to the specific issue of illness as the pp had mentioned

I know that's an American quote but it applies in the UK as well.

'The legal order of next of kin is defined as the spouse, adult children, parents, adult siblings, other relatives and public administrators, according to the Knox County Coroner in Ohio. This is the order by which benefits are handed out, relatives are notified of the death of a family member and responsibilities after death are delegated.'

If you're legally married, you are your spouse's next of kin.

Grandma. I agree with most of what you say but you are not correct about automatically being next of kin - that is widely misunderstood and is why we all need health and welfare LPAs ( see other thread)

If you are a committed couple with a mortgage and/or children, getting married makes practical common sense. You don't need a big affair but marriage does confer legal extras,as well as this tax allowance. As a widow, I automatically inherited my husband's assets, regardless of whether he had a will and when he was ill I was automatically his next of kin. I know someone whose partner died intestate and his half of the house went to his children from a previous relationship and she lost her home.

I don't think it will encourage or discourage marriage. It was one of Cameron and Osborne's bright ideas, that's all.

It's not about not being committed to each other but not being committed to the institution of marriage.

It's worth about £200 a year - that will encourage marriage? We're supposed now to have independent taxation - how does this fit in? I don't think it should exist at all ( the married allowance, not marriage- the latter is a personal choice). There are other tax advantages with marriage - inheritance tax and dome benefits - not sure how I feel about that

I've never understood how people who do not feel committed enough to each other to get married feel that having children is desirable. Surely any encouragement and acknowledgement from the government of marriage is to be commended.

It's not just the tax issue either. If you're not married, no matter how long -term your relationship is, you have no rights at all.

Many people think after a while, you become a "common law" wife (or husband) with the same rights as a married couple but this is a myth.

Personally I think all committed relationships should be equal in law and there are moves towards this. May take a while though.

I think that the point of this new scheme was actually to encourage marriage, rightly or wrongly.