The UK government is launching a campaign to publicise its new "gay marriage" law, which from the end of this year will give same-sex couples such as Elton and David many of the same rights as married people.

In what will be officially known as the civil partnership, gay and lesbian couples will from December 5, 2005 be able to inform registry offices, which administer civil marriages in Britain, of their intention to affirm their relationship under the law.

After a 15-day waiting period, the first civil partnerships will be sealed just before Christmas -- with Elton John having already expressed the wish to become one of the first "married" gay couples with partner David Furnish.

The government has deliberately avoided the word marriage to avoid upsetting religious sensibilities, although the partnerships give couples similar entitlements over tax, pensions and other benefits to those who are married.

Partners will even be able to dissolve the agreement in a form of divorce.

"It places homosexual couples on an equal footing with married couples, giving them the same rights," a spokeswoman for the Department of Trade and Industry said.

The civil partnerships have attracted a large number of enquiries from interested couples, although the Church of England has been less welcoming.

In July 2005, bishops ruled that same-sex couples who unite via the civil partnerships will not be able to have their unions then blessed by Church of England clergy.

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