- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✔ Legal
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✔ Legal, surgery not required
- Non-binary gender recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✔ Illegal
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Adoption
- ✔ Legal
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
Suggest Public Opinion Data
Until 1967
Until Jan 1, 2017
Public Opinion
Views on same-sex marriage or other legal recognition
Ranked #5 out of 27 regions surveyed. (Source: Ipsos, April–May, 2021)
(7%) Against
Support (82%)
Views on same-sex couples' right to adopt
Ranked #5 out of 27 regions surveyed. (Source: Ipsos, April–May, 2021)
(19%) Disagree
Agree (72%)
Acceptance of homosexuals as neighbors ?
Ranked #7 out of 79 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
(5.3%) Mentioned homosexuals
Did not mention homosexuals (94.4%)
Justifiability of homosexuality ?
Ranked #10 out of 79 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
(14.5%) Not justifiable
Justifiable (61.5%)
Opinion on same-sex couples as parents ?
Ranked #10 out of 74 regions surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
(15.2%) Disagree
Agree (62.2%)
"Should society accept homosexuality?" (2019) ?
Ranked #4 out of 34 regions surveyed. (Source: Pew Research Center, May–October, 2019)
(11%) No
Yes (86%)
"Should society accept homosexuality?" (2013) ?
Ranked #6 out of 39 regions surveyed. (Source: Pew Research Center, June, 2013)
(18%) No
Yes (76%)
Perceived Acceptance of Gay People ?
Ranked #4 out of 119 regions surveyed. (Source: Gallup, 2013)
(11%) Not a good place
Good place (77%)
By The Numbers
0%
of 500 British Muslims interviewed believed that homosexual acts were morally acceptable
(Gallup, 2009)
History
Homosexual activity in United Kingdom is legal.
Current status
Since Nov 30, 2000
Since Nov 30, 2000
Legal
The Sexual Offences Act was successfully challenged in the European Court of Human Rights in the case of ADT v. UK in 2000. The court determined the provisions making sexual acts between more than two men illegal would be in violation of privacy laws, and therefore, those portions of the Act became unenforceable. Essentially, this was the last barrier to legalizing same-sex activity within the UK.
Legal
**LEGAL, WITH RESTRICTIONS**
The Sexual Offences Act of 1967 legalized sexual acts between two men who were 21 or older (Excluding men serving in the military), but it placed new restrictions on sex for men who have sex with men. The act prohibited sex in places where a third party was likely to be present.
The Sexual Offences Act of 1967 legalized sexual acts between two men who were 21 or older (Excluding men serving in the military), but it placed new restrictions on sex for men who have sex with men. The act prohibited sex in places where a third party was likely to be present.
Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment)
The Labouchere Amendment passed making sex between two men a gross indecency, punishable by imprisonment. Female homosexuality and sexual acts were not addressed in the law, and therefore, they technically would have been legal, though the law often applied the law towards women.
Same-sex marriage in United Kingdom is legal.
Current status
Since Jan 13, 2020
Since Jan 13, 2020
Legal
Marriage equality in Northern Ireland was brought into line with the rest of the UK via the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019.
Varies by Region
Came into force as of March 29th, 2014 . Same-sex marriage is still unrecognized fully in some parts of the UK (such as Northern Ireland).
Legal
The legislation allowed religious organisations to opt in to marry same-sex couples should they wish to do so and protected religious organisations and their representatives from successful legal challenge if they did not wish to marry same-sex couples.
Civil unions
The Civil Partnership Act (2004).
Under the Act, same-sex couples can register a civil partnership, which has almost the same legal effects, rights and obligations as marriage does for mixed-sex couples. For that reason, civil partnership is sometimes called ‘gay marriage’. However, legally, it is not marriage, but is a separate, segregated system
Under the Act, same-sex couples can register a civil partnership, which has almost the same legal effects, rights and obligations as marriage does for mixed-sex couples. For that reason, civil partnership is sometimes called ‘gay marriage’. However, legally, it is not marriage, but is a separate, segregated system
Censorship of LGBT Issues in United Kingdom is no censorship.
Current status
Since Nov 18, 2003
Since Nov 18, 2003
No censorship
Previous law repealed by section 122 of the Local Government Act 2003.
Other punishment
Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 stated that local authorities could not "intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality" or "promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship". The law did not create a criminal offence, leaving staff to fear losing their jobs if they breached the rules.
Right to change legal gender in United Kingdom is legal, surgery not required.
Current status
Since Apr 4, 2005
Since Apr 4, 2005
Legal, surgery not required
Surgery is not required
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in United Kingdom is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
In 2021 the UK government said (in response to a petition) that legal recognition of non-binary gender identity would have "complex practical consequences for other areas of the law, service provision and public life", and said that they felt existing legislation allowing people to change their legal gender went far enough. Courts have, however, ruled that people with non-binary identities are protected from discrimination by the Equality Act.
LGBT discrimination in United Kingdom is illegal.
LGBT employment discrimination in United Kingdom is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Sexual orientation and gender identity
LGBT housing discrimination in United Kingdom is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Same-sex adoption in United Kingdom is legal.
Current status
Since Nov 7, 2002
Since Nov 7, 2002
Legal
IVF treatment is available for lesbian couples too.
Serving openly in military in United Kingdom is legal.
Current status
Since Jan 12, 2000
Since Jan 12, 2000
Legal
The Ministry of Defence were forced to change their stance on when the European Court of Human Rights ruled in September 1999 that the then current ban on gays in the military was unlawful.
Illegal
The Sexual Offences Act of 1967 explicitly made serving in the military as an openly gay/bi man illegal. Prior to this act, it was illegal for a man to have sex with another man entirely, and therefore, it was also illegal.
Until 1967
Illegal
Same-sex sexual activity was illegal for men, and therefore, these individuals were not permitted in the military.
Blood donations by MSMs in United Kingdom is legal.
Current status
Since Jun 14, 2021
Since Jun 14, 2021
Legal
The 3-month deferral for MSM has been dropped in England, Wales and Scotland. Instead, donors of any gender will be asked about their recent sexual activity, and those who have only had one sexual partner within the last 3-months will be eligible to donate.
Northern Ireland is due to follow suit with these changes in September 2021.
Northern Ireland is due to follow suit with these changes in September 2021.
Conversion therapy in United Kingdom is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Conversion therapy ban has been discussed for many years. Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised to ban conversion therapy in July 2020 and this was reiterated in the 2021 Queen's Speech. In March 2022, the plans were dropped, only for a partial U-turn just hours later when the government announced that the ban would go ahead but not cover trans people.
On January 17 2023, the government announced they'd pass a new law to include transgender people in the conversion therapy ban.
On January 17 2023, the government announced they'd pass a new law to include transgender people in the conversion therapy ban.
Until Jan 1, 2017
Not banned
Conversion therapies are reportedly a major issue in the UK, but it's rarely discussed. A ban is being discussed by British leaders.
Equal age of consent in United Kingdom is equal.
Current status
Since Aug 1, 2001
Since Aug 1, 2001
Unequal
A bill was signed to reduce the age of consent for men who have sex with men from 21 to 18.
Unequal
The Sexual Offenses Act made sex between two men legal in 1967*, but it was only legal between consenting men who were 21 or older, whereas the age of consent for different sex couples was 16.
*Sex between more than two men remained illegal until later.
*Sex between more than two men remained illegal until later.
LGBT Rights by Country
View the LGBT laws in each individual country of United Kingdom.
- England
- Northern Ireland
- Scotland
- Wales
- Gibraltar (Territory)
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Territory)
- Isles of Scilly (Region)
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Alternative names: UK, Great Britain