At our offices in Chichester, West Sussex and Alton, Hampshire we often hear of the term “common law husband or wife”, however it has no legal meaning or standing whatsoever. You are either married or you are not.
If you are not married and your partner dies without making a Will (‘intestate’) or making sufficient provisions for you in their Will then you, as the survivor, will have no right to any inheritance from his estate under the existing intestacy rules. This is despite how long you have lived with one another.