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Cohabiting

Paul Lewis and a panel answer financial questions relating to couples moving in together, including how it differs from marriage.

Is "move in with me" the new "marry me"? According to the Office for National Statistics, cohabiting couples are the fastest growing type of family - there are more than three million in the UK. But when it comes to personal finances, how does cohabiting differ from marriage or a civil partnership?

If you are thinking of moving in with your partner, Paul and panel can tell you what you need to know. E-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk now or call 03700 100 444 from 1pm to 3.30pm on Wednesday.

More than 50% of respondents to the British Social Attitudes Survey wrongly believe that unmarried couples who live together for some time have the same legal rights as married couples. In Scotland, legislation has been in place since 2006 which offers cohabiting partners increased rights.

Perhaps you've got a question about what you can do to make sure things are fair and equal before you move in together, or how to maximise the scant protection that currently exists in England or Wales. Find out what your rights are if you and your partner split up, as well as what is being done in the rest of the country to catch up with Scotland.

The panel:
Joanne Edwards, Family Law Partner at Penningtons Manches LLP and the national chair of Resolution.
Sarah Pennells, founder Savvy Woman - the money website for women.
Robert Gilmour, director of family law specialists Sheehan Kelsey Oswald, based in Edinburgh.

Presenter: Paul Lewis
Producer: Lesley McAlpine
Editor: Andrew Smith.

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30 minutes

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