Current Version
| Region | United Kingdom |
| Issue | Serving openly in military |
| Status | Legal |
| Start Date | Jun 10, 2026 |
| End Date | (none) |
| Description | Homosexual, bisexual and trans people can still serve openly in the British Armed Forces |
| Sources | https://jobs.army.mod.uk/regular-army/inclusion-values/lgbt/ |
| National Law | Yes |
Revision History (2)
| Old Value (Original) | New Value (Current) | |
|---|---|---|
| Value | (REMOVED) | Legal |
| Special Status | Ambiguous | Legal |
| Description | The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has said that Joint Service Publication (JSP) 889 — Policy for the Recruitment and Management of Transgender Personnel in the Armed Forces, which sets out MOD policy for recruiting and managing transgender service personnel — “is no longer fully reflective of the legal position.” MOD is currently reviewing the JSP 889 in order to update it to be in compliance with the precedent set in the case of For Women Scotland Limited v The Scottish Ministers and the quality and the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s 2026 Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations. In the interlude, MOD staff are advised to consider enquiries on trans issues on a case-by-case basis and seek policy guidance from the MOD Diversity and Inclusion Team as required. | Homosexual, bisexual and trans people can still serve openly in the British Armed Forces |
Show Difference | ||
| Sources | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recruitment-and-management-of-transgender-personnel-in-the-armed-forces-jsp-889 https://supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2024-0042 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-draft-code-of-practice-for-services-public-functions-and-associations-2026/explanatory-memorandum--2 | https://jobs.army.mod.uk/regular-army/inclusion-values/lgbt/ |
Show Difference | ||
| Original entry | |
|---|---|
| Status | Ambiguous |
| National Law | Yes |
| Start Date | Jun 10, 2026 |
| End Date | (none) |
| Description | The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has said that Joint Service Publication (JSP) 889 — Policy for the Recruitment and Management of Transgender Personnel in the Armed Forces, which sets out MOD policy for recruiting and managing transgender service personnel — “is no longer fully reflective of the legal position.” MOD is currently reviewing the JSP 889 in order to update it to be in compliance with the precedent set in the case of For Women Scotland Limited v The Scottish Ministers and the quality and the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s 2026 Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations. In the interlude, MOD staff are advised to consider enquiries on trans issues on a case-by-case basis and seek policy guidance from the MOD Diversity and Inclusion Team as required. |
| Sources | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recruitment-and-management-of-transgender-personnel-in-the-armed-forces-jsp-889 https://supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2024-0042 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-draft-code-of-practice-for-services-public-functions-and-associations-2026/explanatory-memorandum--2 |