If you're going to give up your career, have a cohabitation agreement drawn up to safeguard your future so he will pay something for you as well as the children if you break up.

The woman gets the ring - unless it's an heirloom.

The courts will take into consideration whether he promised to give you a share of the house so that you didn't buy your own place, but it's very woolly.

Hopefully a sliding scale of rights will be implemented. If you live with someone for two weeks, why should you have any rights? But if you've been together for years, it's an entirely different story.