Review anti-discrimination laws to strengthen trans women & LGBTQ+ protections

Launch a review into strengthening legal protections and clearer enforcement against discrimination, harassment and exclusion of trans women and LGBTQ+ people in employment, education, healthcare, housing and public services, and requiring public bodies to follow consistent guidance.

Trans women and LGBTQ+ people still face discrimination, harassment and barriers to services across the UK. We feel current protections are not applied consistently and people often struggle to challenge unfair treatment. Clearer law and stronger enforcement could help prevent harm, improve safety, and ensure equal treatment and dignity in everyday life.

This Government is committed to ensuring that every individual is protected from unlawful discrimination and harassment. We acknowledge the concerns raised by this petition regarding the strength and consistency of protections.

The Equality Act 2010 provides a robust framework to outlaw unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation in public services, employment, and housing on the basis of gender reassignment and sexual orientation. We are dedicated to ensuring that these protections are experienced in practice across the UK.

This means ensuring that current laws are clearly explained to duty bearers. Most recently, this Government laid the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s updated Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations in Parliament, in draft form for Parliament to scrutinise. Parliament did not disapprove the Code. The Code, which came into force on 5th August, includes practical advice to support service providers’ compliance with the law. It also clarifies when it may be necessary and proportionate to provide separate and single-sex services, as well as how providers can adapt their services to meet trans people’s needs. We have always been clear that duty bearers should follow the law as clarified by the For Women Scotland Supreme Court judgment, and seek specialist advice where necessary.

We are also bringing in new protections to target abuse and discrimination in the UK. For example, on 25 June 2026 we introduced a trans-inclusive bill proposing to ban criminal conversion practices. For too long people have been subjected to attempts to change who they are. These practices have no place in modern Britain.

Further, under the recent Crime and Policing Act, the Government has brought in stronger penalties against those who commit crimes against someone based on their disability, sex, sexual orientation, or transgender identity. Such crimes are now considered aggravated offences, and will receive a higher sentence.

Through the Equality Act 2010, public bodies - including the police - are under a duty to have due regard to eliminating discrimination. If individuals feel any reports of hate crime have not been handled appropriately, they are encouraged to escalate a complaint through the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) via their website.

In employment, we regularly engage with employers to promote best practice when it comes to inclusive hiring and retention. The Employment Rights Act 2025 requires employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent the sexual harassment, and creates an obligation for them to protect employees from third-party harassment.

In education, we have delivered inclusive, age appropriate Relationship, Health and Sex Education statutory guidance. The new guidance strongly encourages primary schools to teach about healthy loving relationships, including same-sex parents. At secondary school, healthy same-sex relationships should be covered. It is only right that our diverse society, with families and people of many identities and backgrounds, is reflected to our children.

We recognise that LGBT+ people experience significant health inequalities. Last year, the Government commissioned NHS England to undertake an LGBT+ health evidence review, led by the NHS’ National Advisor on LGBT+ health, Dr Michael Brady. This review will provide evidence-based recommendations for how we can improve LGBT+ health outcomes. The review will be published later this year.

In housing, local authorities must be mindful of the Equality Act 2010 and their Public Sector Equality Duty towards people who have a protected characteristic. We also know that LGBT+ people are at higher risk than the general population to experience homelessness. Our National Plan to End Homelessness sets out a credible plan to get back on track to ending homelessness, with the strategy driving long-term sustainable change to address the root causes of homelessness, providing support to councils and public services to shift from crisis to prevention, and short-term immediate actions to tackle the worst forms of homelessness, including halving long-term rough sleeping by the end of this Parliament. We are also investing £3.6 billion for homelessness and rough sleeping services from 2026-2029. Local authorities can use this money to respond to local needs and determine the most effective services to support LGBT+ individuals in their area.

If anyone feels that they have been treated unfairly by public services, we encourage them to utilise established complaint mechanisms on the official website of the relevant government department, local council, or NHS trust in question. They may also contact the Equality Advisory Service, whose helpline advises and assists individuals on issues relating to equality and human rights, across England, Scotland and Wales.

Cabinet Office