From December 2005 Civil Partnerships are recognised for all legal purposes. However, as NI works on an individual basis, the practical effects are few.
There have also been changes affecting individuals undertaking a gender change. From April 2005 employers have to recognise full Gender Recognition Certificates but not interim ones. For example, an employee who acquires male gender will pay employee’s NI for longer as their retirement age will increase. More generally, there may well be implications if the employee is a member of an occupational pension scheme.
Civil partners and those acquiring new gender also both acquire appropriate rights to state benefits.
From April 2007 the current maximum length of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) entitlement will be extended from 26 to 39 weeks, with an option to transfer the extra 13 weeks from the mother to her partner. Except in the rare cases where the mother and her partner happen to work for the same business, this could be a difficult scheme for employers to operate. Further details are currently awaited.
It will also become possible to pay SMP for weeks beginning on any day of the week convenient to the employer. In addition, the carrying out of some work for just part of a day will no longer invalidate a full week’s entitlement to SMP. This will help, for example, where the woman attends the occasional staff meeting to keep in touch or a training course.