Manchester City Council has approved plans to develop a LGBTI care home in the city.

In October, Craig Jones, Campaign Director for Fighting With Pride, noted that while in opposition, Labour committed to debating reparations for LGBTI veterans who suffered under the UK’s historical “gay ban” before it was lifted in 2000. In October, after reports emerged that LGBTI veterans affected by the

ban fear the Labour government may not fulfill its promises of reparations, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson reaffirmed its commitment to providing appropriate financial redress. They stated that the government is working with experts to finalize the details of the compensation scheme. Labour MP for Burnley Oliver Ryan, claimed that the allocated £50 million compensation scheme fund would inadequately compensate the estimated 4,000 LGBTI veterans and those affected by discriminatory practices.

In March, the House of Commons rejected the House of Lords’ attempt to amend the Safety of Rwanda Bill, including the proposal to remove the government’s mandate requiring judges to deem Rwanda as a safe country of return. The bill, adopted in January, seeks to deter unlawful immigration by enabling the implementation of deportation policies towards Rwanda.

Since its adoption, the bill was subjected to criticism by the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, local and international NGOs, and various UN agencies, who claimed that the arrangement seeks to shift responsibility for refugee protection, and noted that although homosexuality isn’t criminalised in Rwanda, many LGBTI people keep their identities hidden to avoid discrimination and abuse, which denies them basic human rights. RainbowMigration also noted that Rwandans have sought asylum in the UK due to discrimination experienced because of their sexual orientation.

In June, Metro reported that while LGBTI refugees often find refuge from severe persecution in Britain, the process of arriving and staying in the country leads many to encounter homelessness and abuse.

In June, a 26-year-old non-binary social media influencer fleeing persecution in Saudi Arabia had their UK asylum claim denied. The Home Office alleged doubts about the authenticity of the applicant’s LGBTI identity.

In July, the Supreme Court ruled against an Albanian asylum seeker, allowing her deportation after a six-year litigation process.

The applicant had argued that returning to Albania would lead to persecution due to her sexuality and religion, but the tribunal declared not to have found any evidence of such risks.

In October, a gay asylum seeker from Bangladesh appealed his asylum request after it was rejected multiple times due to the Home Office’s belief that he lacks a well-founded fear of persecution upon being returned to Bangladesh.

In March 2018, a judge had concluded that an asylum applicant was “trying to pass himself off as gay,” dismissing his claim. The judge, who referred to being gay as a “lifestyle,” criticised the lack of documentary evidence supporting the applicant’s claims and questioned why he did not provide a witness who could corroborate his behavior as a gay man.

In November, Asylos and Rainbow Migration urged the UK government to reconsider Georgia’s designation as a ‘safe’ country under asylum regulations. This followed Georgia’s contested elections, the Georgian Dream party’s anti-LGBTI legislative campaign, and the introduction of repressive laws that severely restrict the rights of LGBTI people. Concerns were raised that the ‘safe’ designation increases the risk of returning individuals to a country where they may face persecution and violence.

In March, a judge faced disciplinary action after referring to a trans rights campaigner as a “stupid, condescending fool.” The judicial conduct investigations office conducted an inquiry, resulting in the judge being found guilty of misconduct for failing to uphold the standards expected of his position.

In April, Scotland’s new Hate Crime and Public Order Act  took effect. The act seeks to criminalise behaviours that are threatening or abusive, and intended to incite hatred against individuals based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and variations in sex characteristics. Within two days of the Act taking effect, over 3,000 complaints were lodged under it to police. Some of these were related to JK Rowling’s comments, which referred

to prominent trans women activists as “men”, but these were deemed not to infringe the new law.

In November, Tottenham Hotspur was charged by the Football Association (FA) over homophobic chanting by their fans during a 3-0 victory against Manchester United on 29 September. The club faces two charges under FA Rule E21, which relates to the behavior of supporters at matches, specifically “misconduct in relation to crowd control.”

In June a 29-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of retired Fettes College teacher, Peter Coshan after luring him to a flat in Leith using a fake profile on a gay encounter site.

In April, a group of teenagers appeared in court in connection with an attempted murder case involving a trans woman. The 18-year- old victim was reportedly stabbed 14 times on February 10, after allegedly being subjected to transphobic abuse. In late September, some of the perpetrators admitted to their involvement in the attack and pleaded guilty.

In May, police reported seeking information following an alleged homophobic attack that took place in Cardiff in April, where a drag artist and her partner were assaulted by two men after being seen holding hands.

In June, Liverpool Magistrates Court sentenced a man to 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, for subjecting a gay throuple to homophobic abuse.

In July, the deaths of two men were classified as a hate crime by the Metropolitan Police, which revealed that the victims, who had been in a relationship and lived together, were known to the perpetrator.

In January, the Scottish Government launched a consultation on detailed proposals to ban conversion practices in Scotland, covering sexual orientation and gender identity. The results analysis is expected to be published early in 2025. The Law Society of Scotland (solicitors’ professional body) welcomed the  proposed legislation, as did the Church of Scotland, but both emphasised that clarity is needed in the law as, according to their perspective, non-directive counselling should not be banned.

In September, the Scottish Government announced that they would discuss the ban on conversion practices with the new Labour UK Government, and then decide whether to legislate in the Scottish or UK Parliament.

In March, Equalities Minister Maria Caulfield announced that draft legislation on the criminalisation of conversion therapies in England and Wales would be introduced. Caulfield stated that the initiative would develop following the completion of a review on gender identity services for children and young people – known as the Cass Report.

In July, following delays in the efforts promised by the Sunak-led cabinet, the newly appointed UK government reintroduced a plan to outlaw conversion therapy.

In the King’s Speech, Sir Keir Starmer’s administration announced a draft Conversion Practices Bill aimed at a comprehensive ban, including protections for trans people.

In October, the Labour government replaced the Equality Hub with the newly established Office for Equality and Opportunity, announcing several “key immediate priorities,” including the introduction of a full, trans-inclusive ban on so-called ‘conversion therapy.’ The government emphasised that the new office would be focused on breaking down barriers, promoting opportunities, and ensuring that equality remains central to all of its missions.

According to a report compiled by the charity Trans Actual and published in October, over 200 trans people in the UK have been denied hormone replacement therapy by their GPs in the past year. Under current care pathways in the UK, once trans patients are discharged from an NHS gender clinic, they are supposed to continue receiving care through their GPs, including prescriptions for HRT.

In May, new draft guidance from the UK government advised teachers in England not to teach school children about gender identity and proposed banning sex education for children under nine. The then Education Secretary Gillian Keegan emphasised the importance of providing children with “the right information at the right time,” while also stressing that the topic of gender identity should not be taught at all.

In August, research conducted by The Independent and Index on Censorship revealed that over half of school libraries in the UK have faced parental demands to remove books about sexual orientation and gender identity. Books such as Julian is a Mermaid’, ‘Heartstopper’, and ‘ABC Pride’,, were frequently targeted, with complaints focusing on content promoting acceptance and love for LGBTI identities. In half of these cases, the complaints led to the removal of the books, with several librarians also reporting threats from parents, including demands for their dismissal if their requests were not met.

In January, a former school worker won the right for her appeal to be heard by senior judges. The appellant was fired after posting critical comments on Facebook about teaching LGBTI relationships in primary schools and alleged her dismissal from her employment was due to her Christian beliefs. In October, the

Court of Appeal ruled that the teacher had her right to free speech violated and faced ‘direct discrimination’.

In March, a Wiltshire teacher pressed charges against his former employer after being dismissed for gross misconduct.

The dismissal followed reports that the teacher had repeatedly humiliated a student regarding their gender identity and preferred pronouns.

In May, a tribunal ruled that a woman, who was dismissed by her employer at the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre for her critical views on gender identity and biological sex, faced discrimination. The tribunal ruled that the charity had targeted her in a “heresy hunt” after she expressed her views, which led to her dismissal, awarding her £70,000.

In July, a tribunal ruled that a Christian social worker faced direct discrimination when Touchstone Leeds withdrew his job offer after discovering his negative views on homosexuality. However, the tribunal rejected the additional claims of discrimination related to the second interview and the final decision not to hire him.

As part of the proceedings, a former Trades Union Congress president was removed from the employment tribunal panel due to colleagues’ concerns about his potential bias in favour of LGBTI stances.

In July, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer stated that trans women with Gender Recognition Certificates should not have the right to access women-only spaces. Starmer further emphasised the need to protect “biological women’s spaces.”

In February, the group For Women Scotland lodged an appeal against the 2023 Scottish court ruling that “sex” in British equality law means sex as amended by gender recognition. They want the UK Supreme Court to rule that it only means “biological sex”. In March, the UK’s first trans judge sought permission to intervene in this appeal, but was refused. The UK Supreme Court heard  the case on 26 and 27 November, and judgement will be issued in 2025.

In March, Sports Minister Lucy Frazer from the Conservative Party urged all British sporting bodies to review their policies on trans athletes in women’s sports to ensure fairness and integrity in competition. Emphasising the need for a thorough assessment of existing rules and regulations, the government has also requested an explanation from the Football Association regarding its current policy, which aims to balance inclusivity for transgender players with safety and fairness in women’s football.

In October, following the appeal, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that trans women who have gone through male puberty will be excluded from Tiers 1 and 2 of the new women’s county competition, as well as from the women’s

Hundred. This decision aligns the ECB’s eligibility policy with that of the International Cricket Council (ICC), which introduced similar guidelines in 2023.

Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson endorsed allowing trans women who have undergone gender transitions to use female toilets, addressing concerns about safe spaces for women.

In May, a group of 26 female hospital nurses announced their intention to sue the NHS after being required to share a changing room with a trans colleague who had not yet undergone gender reassignment surgery.

In May, Scotland’s deputy First Minister Kate Forbes pledged to “serve all communities” in Scotland after the Scottish Greens expressed concern over what First Minister John Swinney’s decision to appoint her as his deputy could mean for LGBTI people.

In May, the UK Government proposed new regulations requiring single-sex restrooms in all newly constructed pubs, restaurants, offices, and shopping centres in England. The decision followed a public consultation conducted by the UK Government in which 81% of respondents supported separate single-sex toilets, and 82% backed universal toilets where space permits.

In June, Women and Equality Minister Kemi Badenoch criticised LGBTI advocacy groups for allegedly misusing Britain’s equalities laws. Badenoch pledged to uphold the “privacy and dignity of women and girls” against interpretations of sex and gender that go beyond biological characteristics.

August marked the 18th anniversary of the UK Black Pride, with thousands of participants joining the march in Stratford.

In June, the Court of Appeal heard claims that same-sex male couples in Northern Ireland are experiencing unlawful discrimination when seeking publicly funded fertility treatment.

In February, a consultation draft of new guidelines for Scotland’s publicly funded healthcare system, NHS Scotland, suggested that permitting trans patients to change their gender marker on medical records might lead to “unintended negative consequences” for their health. The draft was shared with stakeholders for feedback.

In March, NHS England announced new guidelines restricting access to puberty blockers for children, limiting their prescription to clinical trials or specific cases requiring approval from a national panel of experts. The move followed a 2022 review and the findings of a new review commissioned by the NHS on gender identity services for young people in England. Best known as the Cass Report, the study allegedly reported inadequate evidence to support the routine use of puberty-suppressing hormones in minors.

In March, NHS England was accused of exposing trans teenagers to “unreasonable risk of irreversible harm.” The lawsuit was submitted by two mothers concerned about the transition from adolescent to adult gender clinics and requesting that the latter adhere to similar protections as those required for younger patients. Following the filing, a High Court judge decided to pause the legal action to allow time for the possible release of the research project that later became known as the ‘Cass Report’.

In April, the Health Secretary revealed plans to revise the NHS England Constitution to “ensure that biological sex is respected.” The Secretary emphasised the alleged need to remove gender- neutral language and guarantee hospital patients in England the right to request single-sex wards, with trans patients being accommodated in separate rooms.

In April, the Sandyford Clinic in Glasgow, Scotland’s sole provider of trans healthcare for young people, halted new prescriptions of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for trans people under 18, following the publication of the Cass Review. Scotland’s Public Health Minister Jenni Minto assured Members of the Scottish Parliament that while the Cass Review focused on NHS England, its findings would be carefully considered in Scotland. Furthermore, Minto defended the decision to inform young trans people and their families of a temporary ban on puberty blockers before notifying elected representatives.

At the end of May, the Conservative UK government introduced emergency legislation to temporarily ban the prescription of puberty blockers for trans people under 18 in England, Scotland and Wales. The emergency order was renewed by the new Labour government in August, and again in November, also extending it to Northern Ireland.

In June, as one of the final measures by the outgoing Conservative Party before the general election, the Department of Health and Social Care imposed restrictions on prescribing puberty blockers to under-18s, effective until at least September 3, 2024.

In July, Health Secretary Wes Streeting, from the Labour Party, defended his decision to extend a ban on puberty blockers despite backlash from Labour MPs.

In July, the UK High Court upheld the ban on puberty blockers introduced by former Conservative Health Secretary Victoria Atkins. This decision followed a legal challenge initiated in June by TransActual UK, a trans rights advocacy group, and an anonymous trans young person. The judicial review proceedings were aimed at contesting the emergency legislation that restricts access to puberty blockers for trans youth.

In August, Scotland’s gender service for young people in Glasgow announced it would no longer accept self-referrals. This decision aligned with recommendations from the UK Chief Medical Officer, following a review of how the Cass Review on gender services for children and young people could be applied in Scotland. (See also under Bodily Integrity.)

In September, the NHS in Scotland published three documents on  trans health: gender identity healthcare standards, a trans care knowledge and skills framework, and an updated gender identity healthcare protocol.

Following a UK government consultation (in which most respondents opposed the ban), the government made the ban on  puberty blockers for under 18 year olds permanent in December. There are two exceptions to the ban: young people who were already using puberty blockers prior to the ban and young people who agree to be part of a future research trial, due to start in 2025, (who may be able to receive them). In addition, puberty blockers can continue to be prescribed to cisgender young people, for example to treat precocious puberty.

The charity Fighting With Pride announced the creation of the UK’s first memorial honouring the “lost legion” of LGBTI people who served in the armed forces at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

The photo ID requirement for voting underscored difficulties for trans people registering to vote, as many lack a gender recognition certificate due to its cost and complex process.

In May, Scotland’s Prime Minister John Swinney admitted that the bill aimed at simplifying gender changes without requiring a medical diagnosis, passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2022, could not be implemented while it was blocked by the previous Conservative UK Government.

In June, the Conservatives had vowed to amend the 2010 Equality Act to define “sex” strictly as biological sex assigned at birth in case of victory in the general elections. The new Labour UK Government has no such plans.

In November, Scottish Secretary Ian Murray faced criticism for refusing to lift a Tory-imposed veto on the Gender Recognition Reform Bill, despite the bill having the support of Scottish Labour. The bill, which passed in December 2022 with backing from all parties in the Scottish Parliament, sought to simplify the gender recognition process for trans people by allowing self- determination. However, then-Scottish Secretary Alister Jack used a Section 35 order to block the legislation, a power under the 1998 Scotland Act. Murray, who became Scottish Secretary in July, sided with the Tories, stating that while he didn’t believe the use of the Section 35 order was correct, Labour would not revoke it.

In November, the NHS proposed new plans that prioritise IVF access for trans men and lesbians, potentially coming into effect as early as next year and placing them at the forefront of the priority list for fertility treatments.

In May, the Scottish Greens expelled 13 activists for signing a declaration advocating for sex-based rights and expressing concern over the suppression of gender-critical views. The Greens argued that these members posed a risk to the “safety of all trans and non-binary members” and pointed to a 2018 rule excluding “trans-exclusionary” individuals from membership.

In February, a group of police officers launched the “Police Sex  Equality and Equity Network” to challenge what they describe as the dominance of “pro-trans ideologies” within UK policing. The network accused police chiefs of embedding gender ideology in their practices, which they claim fosters a “culture of fear” for those who do not support trans rights. According to the group, this focus on gender issues risks undermining public confidence in the police, and officers who believe in the immutability of biological sex feel unable to express their views without fear of disciplinary action due to the influence of alleged lobby groups and activists.

In March, Eddie Ratcliffe, one of the individuals convicted of the murder of trans teenager Brianna Ghey, expressed his intention to appeal his life imprisonment sentence. The Mirror reported that the appeal was rejected as the minimum terms were deemed acceptable.

In April, a senior police officer expressed concerns that Scotland’s new Hate Crime and Public Order Act could erode public trust in the police as individuals might feel unfairly targeted if their details are recorded under the new legislation. The Scottish government responded by assuring that the law includes protections for free speech and that a comprehensive training and guidance programme would be provided.

In September, the Metropolitan Police rejected plans to introduce gender-neutral uniforms after consulting with 30,000 officers.

As a result, the force decided to continue using separate male and female uniforms, extending the current supplier contract for uniforms until 2026.

A group of nearly 1,300 individuals filed a class action civil lawsuit against the US-owned dating app Grindr for improperly using and sharing users’ private information, including HIV status and testing history, with third parties for commercial gain, violating UK data protection laws.