Does my ex-spouse living with a new partner reduce or end my support payments?

If the spouse receiving support begins cohabiting with a new partner, the payor can apply to vary or terminate support. A new cohabiting relationship is not the same as remarriage, but it is a relevant change in circumstances that a court will consider.

The court's focus is whether the new relationship has actually improved the recipient's financial situation. If the recipient and new partner pool resources and the recipient's financial need has significantly decreased, that can justify reducing or ending support. But courts will not assume a new relationship eliminates financial need — they want evidence of actual improvement in the recipient's financial position.

Some separation agreements or court orders include an explicit "cohabitation clause" that automatically reduces or ends support when the recipient begins a new common-law relationship. If your agreement has such a clause, review it carefully to understand the trigger and what you need to do to enforce it. If there is no such clause, you will need to bring a variation application and demonstrate the material change in circumstances. Keep records showing when the cohabitation began and how it has changed the recipient's financial picture.