Just one couple became civil partners in Kirklees last year.

Civil partnerships, introduced in 2004, have almost vanished in Kirklees since same-sex marriage became legal in 2014.

From 2008 to 2013 the number of civil partnerships was running at more than 15% in the borough.

The total of civil partnerships fell in 2014 to just nine, the first year in which same-sex couples could marry legally.

The new law took effect in March 2014 so last year was the first full year of same-sex marriage being legal.

And last year the figure collapsed to just one civil partnership in the entire borough. There were another three in Calderdale.

This decline was mirrored around the country.

There were 832 civil partnerships in England last year, which was just a fraction of the 5,300 to 6,300 that were registered each year between 2008 and 2013.

The Office for National Statistics forecasts that this trend will continue in years to come as same-sex couples choose to get married rather than form civil partnerships.

Civil partners don’t have quite the same level of financial rights as married couples.

If one partner dies, the other may receive a lower pension share than if they were married.

Also, when travelling abroad, some countries don’t recognise civil partnership as marriage, and so couples will not enjoy the same rights in those nations as if they were married.