'BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO ....'
(29 June 2005)

An invaluable check-list for soon-to-be ex couples like Jamie Theakston and Erin O'Connor and Nicole Kidman and Steve Bing has been launched today (29th June 2005) by advicenow.org.uk, the rights and legal website. More than 30% of co-habiting couples eventually split up and many delay in sorting out their financial and practical affairs because they are in emotional turmoil. Whereas the law helps with many considerations for married couples who divorce, when it comes to co-habiting couples, until now, there has been little guidance available.

The free downloadable Breaking Up Checklist is produced by 'LivingTogether' - a campaign set up by not-for-profit advicenow.org.uk and funded by the Department for Constitutional Affairs to alert cohabiting couples to their lack of rights and tell them what they can do to safeguard their interests. I

Mary Webber, co-habitation expert at Advicenow commented, "Breaking up is always painful and it is easy to avoid sorting everything out properly. However, certain things will cause acute problems in the future if they are not tackled at the time of the break-up. Discussing practical issues with your partner can be difficult, but it really is essential and it will avoid ill-feeling in the future. The LivingTogether Breaking Up Checklist is designed to help couples have these discussions and take actions to protect themselves and their ex-partner."

The Breaking Up Checklist offers helpful advice on:

* The home
* Benefits
* Debts
* Joint bank accounts
* Children
* Wills
* Private pensions and life insurance
* Financial settlements

The Breaking Up Checklist has been designed for people like Harriet Walton, aged 26, who split up from her boyfriend, Anthony, three months ago. Their flat is owned by both of them and they have a joint bank account. "Anthony will probably buy me out of the flat, I can't afford to buy him out; but I feel really upset about this, because it was my idea to buy a flat in the first place and he wasn't even that keen at the time. We still have a joint bank account, I haven't got round to changing it, yet."

Commenting on Harriet's case, Mary Webber, said, "Harriet is in a very precarious position. She should take her name off the joint bank account as soon as possible because legally, she is jointly responsible for any debt that accrues on that account. She should also take advice from a solicitor as to how to go about selling her portion of the flat, if she relies on her boyfriend's recommendations, she might lose out financially."

Naomi Nelson, aged 42, was with her partner Mark for 22 years when they split up. She has four children and is a full-time mum. When she split up with her partner she experienced problems with their bank account: "We agreed that he would keep the money left in our joint bank account and I would remove my name from the account. I handed my cut-up debit card and cheque book into the bank with a letter asking to have my name taken off the account but they were unable to change it until they received confirmation from Mark because his was the first name on the account. In the end, the change took eight months."

Mary Webber comments: "This is a common problem as banks often arbitrarily chose one partner as the main account holder. The lesson to be learnt is to write a note to your bank immediately asking for the account to be closed and new accounts to be opened in separate names - specifying what you want to happen to the balance - and both sign it immediately."

For further information about your rights as a cohabiting partner or splitting up and to download a free copy of the Breaking Up Checklist, visit www.advicenow.org.uk/livingtogether

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