Transgender rights in the United Kingdom

Transgender rights in the United Kingdom have varied significantly over time. As of 2026, transgender people—people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth—are only recognised under UK law as their "biological sex" as assigned at birth, i.e. trans women are considered men, and trans men are considered women, with relevant legal rights and privileges determined entirely on the basis of such.

The UK was one of the last countries in Europe to introduce legislation allowing transgender people to legally change their gender, with the Gender Recognition Act 2004. The 2025 Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers determined that having a gender recognition certificate did not change a person's sex for the purposes of the 2010 Equality Act. In response, ILGA-Europe reclassified the UK as having "no functioning legal or administrative process for legal gender recognition", placing it alongside Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Russia in Europe.

Transgender people in the UK continue to face significant challenges, including barriers to healthcare, discrimination and prejudice, increased media focus, and widespread opposition to their rights. Gender affirming care is considered difficult to access for adults, and banned for youths.

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