Can I call my civil partner my wife?

A civil partnership gives you many of the same rights and responsibilities as a marriage, including inheritance, tax and pension benefits. The term wife is a personal choice and has no legal effect on your status. Some couples use wife or husband as a matter of preference, while others prefer civil partner to reflect the legal reality. If you want your relationship to be legally described as a marriage, you can convert your civil partnership to a marriage by giving notice and having a ceremony, which is a separate legal step. Your marriage certificate is the usual proof for passports, banks and employers if you change your name. You do not have to change your name when you marry or form a civil partnership; if you do, your certificate serves as proof.