Lawyers are hailing the progress in Parliament of two new Bills intended to give gay couples and other partners who are not married to each other more legal rights.
The Sussex Law Society, which represents solicitors in Brighton and Hove, Mid Sussex, Lewes and Crawley, welcomed the second reading of Lord Lester's Civil Partnerships Bill and the Relationships (Civil Registration) Bill in the House of Lords.
Brighton solicitor and Law Society spokesman Julian Hunt said Lord Lester's Bill would extend the rights of people living together, both heterosexual and gay, on crucial issues such as tenancy, inheritance and pensions.
Mr Hunt said as the law stood, if one partner died and a tenancy was in his or her name alone, the surviving partner had no legal right to inherit the tenancy.
He said: "Lord Lester's Bill would prevent the bereaved partner being rendered homeless at a time when it is the last thing they are equipped to deal with."
The new measures would give partners who have lived together for six months and who sign and register a declaration, similar rights to those of married couples.
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