ABOUT THISRESOURCE
This resource is produced by Stonewall, a UK-based
charity that stands for the freedom, equity and potentialof all lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning and ace(LGBTQ+) people.
At Stonewall, we imagine a world where LGBTQ+ people everywhere can live
our lives to the full.
Founded in London in 1989, we now work in each nation of the UK and haveestablished partnerships across the globe. Over the last three decades, wehave created transformative change in the lives of LGBTQ+ people in theUK, helping win equal rights around marriage, having children and inclusive
education.
Our campaigns drive positive change for our communities, and our sustainedchange and empowerment programmes ensure that LGBTQ+ people canthrive throughout our lives. We make sure that the world hears and learns fromour communities, and our work is grounded in evidence and expertise.
To find out more about our work, visit us at www.stonewall.org.uk
Registered Charity No 1101255 (England and Wales) and SC039681 (Scotland)
Stonewall is proud to provide information, support and guidance on LGBTQ+ inclusion; working
towards a world where we’re all free to be. This does not constitute legal advice, and is notintended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter.

LGBT IN BRITAINHEALTH REPORTLGBT IN BRITAINHEALTH REPORT
Chaka L. Bachmann
Stonewall
Becca Gooch
YouGov

FOREWORD
Despite the strides we’ve made towards LGBT equality in recent years, many LGBT people still face significant barriers to leading
healthy, happy and fulfilling lives in Britain today.
This report, part of our state-of-the-nation LGBT in Britain research series with YouGov, uncovers worryingly high rates of poor
mental health experienced by LGBT people in Britain today, as well as the challenges many LGBT people face when accessing
wider healthcare services.
In the last year alone, half of LGBT people have experienced depression and three in five have suffered from anxiety, far exceeding
estimates for the general population. And our findings show that poor mental health is also higher among LGBT people who areyoung, Black, Asian or minority ethnic, disabled or from a socio-economically deprived background. It’s a shocking picture, that must
serve as a wake up call for healthcare providers across the sector.
While there are committed individuals and organisations doing outstanding work, this report shows that instances of
discrimination, hostility and unfair treatment in healthcare services are still commonplace. Many LGBT people – particularly
those who are trans – continue to be ‘outed’ without their consent, treated with inappropriate curiosity and subjected to unequal
treatment because of who they are. Mirroring the findings of the UK Government’s recent National LGBT Survey, a worrying
proportion of LGBT people say they’ve been pressured to access damaging ‘conversion therapies’ to change their sexual orientationand gender identity.
This discrimination – both experienced and expected – can deter LGBT people from accessing help when they’re in need: one inseven LGBT people, including more than a third of trans people, have avoided treatment for fear of prejudice.
The persistence of these inequalities calls for leadership from the very top and action at all levels. The UK, Scottish and Welsh
Governments must play an important role in this. For example, the UK Government implementing the commitments it made in theLGBT Action Plan, including ensuring that the National Adviser for LGBT healthcare in England has the remit and resources to drivechange.
Knowing that we have somewhere to turn when our health is in crisis is crucial. These findings stand as a stark warning that for too
many LGBT people, this still isn’t the case. With strong leadership across government and the NHS, building on the best practiceof health and social care providers across the country, we can bring forward the day when every LGBT person gets the healthcare
support they need to lead a happy, healthy life.

Ruth Hunt, Chief Executive

THE STUDY
Stonewall commissioned YouGov to carry out a survey asking more than
5,000 lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT) people across England, Scotland andWales about their life in Britain today. This report, part of a series basedon the research, looks at mental health and well-being of LGBT people
and investigates the specific experiences of LGBT people when accessing
healthcare services. This study shows the rates of depression, anxiety andother mental health conditions among LGBT people. It also looks into theaccessibility of healthcare services and discrimination LGBT people facewhen seeking medical support.

CONTENTS
Key findings

5

Mental health

6

Discrimination in healthcare

11

Smoking, alcohol and drug use

16

Methodology

19LGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORTKEY FINDINGS
Half of LGBT people (52 per cent) said they’ve experienced depression in the last year.
||
One in eight LGBT people aged 18-24 (13 per cent) said they’ve attempted to take their||own life in the last year.
Almost half of trans people (46 per cent) have thought about taking their own life in the||last year, 31 per cent of LGB people who aren’t trans said the same.
Forty-one per cent of non-binary people said they harmed themselves in the last year||
compared to 20 per cent of LGBT women and 12 per cent of GBT men.
One in six LGBT people (16 per cent) said they drank alcohol almost every day over the||last year.
One in eight LGBT people aged 18-24 (13 per cent) took drugs at least once a month.
||
One in eight LGBT people (13 per cent) have experienced some form of unequal treatment||
from healthcare staff because they’re LGBT.
Almost one in four LGBT people (23 per cent) have witnessed discriminatory or negative||
remarks against LGBT people by healthcare staff. In the last year alone, six per cent ofLGBT people – including 20 per cent of trans people – have witnessed these remarks.
One in twenty LGBT people (five per cent) have been pressured to access services to||question or change their sexual orientation when accessing healthcare services.
One in five LGBT people (19 per cent) aren’t out to any healthcare professional about||
their sexual orientation when seeking general medical care. This number rises to 40 per
cent of bi men and 29 per cent of bi women.
One in seven LGBT people (14 per cent) have avoided treatment for fear of||
discrimination because they're LGBT.
5

STONEWALL

MENTAL HEALTHLGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORTMENTAL HEALTH
A worrying number of LGBT people have experienced depression, anxiety, hadsuicidal thoughts or even attempted to take their own life in the last year. LGBT
people are at a higher risk of experiencing common mental health problems than
the general population. Participants explained how experiences of discriminationand harassment in day-to-day life, rejection from one’s family and friends andbeing subjected to hate crimes and incidents can have a negative impact onmental well-being.
Half of LGBT people (52 per cent) said they’ve experienced
depression in the last year, with another ten per centsaying they think they might have experienced depression.
Two thirds of trans people (67 per cent) have experienced
depression in the last year. Seven in ten non-binary
people (70 per cent), more than half of LGBT women (55per cent) and more than two in five GBT men (46 percent) have had the same experience.
Rates of depression are also higher among LGBT people
who’ve experienced a hate crime based on their sexual
orientation and/or gender identity (69 per cent). LGBT
people aged 18-24 (68 per cent), and Black, Asian andminority ethnic LGBT people (62 per cent) are also more
likely to experience depression in the last year. LGBT
people in category C2DE (lower income households) are
more likely to experience depression than LGBT people incategory ABC1 (higher income households), 64 per centcompared to 48 per cent respectively.

According to Mind, around one in six adults in generalin England report experiencing a common mental healthproblem (such as anxiety and depression) in any given
week.
Having always known that my gender identity doesn’t matchmy birth sex it has just become more difficult year afteryear. Unfortunately, being married with children it will be
impossible to ever do anything about it, which is the causeof my depression and which I have never discussed with myGP, even though I should have. I will have to rely on antidepressants to keep me sane. Torben, 41 (Wales)
As an LGBT individual suffering from severe anxiety anddepression, I cannot fault the help and support I get from mycounty hospital and my local GP. Tom, 56 (South East)

I am being treated for depression, which is caused in part by not being
able to access any LGBT senior age-related groups within 80 miles ofme. I would be actively involved in such a group if I could find one, butthere is nothing. I feel very isolated.
Rosemary, 70 (Wales)
6

STONEWALL

MENTAL HEALTHLGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORT

Three in five LGBT people (61 per cent) said they’ve
experienced anxiety in the last year. Four in five nonbinary people (79 per cent) have experienced anxiety in thelast year compared to 65 per cent of LGBT women and 54
per cent of GBT men. Seven in ten trans people (71 percent) have experienced the same in the last year.
Incidence of anxiety is higher among LGBT people incategory C2DE compared to LGBT people in category
ABC1, 70 per cent compared to 58 per cent. LGBT people
who have experienced a hate crime because of theirsexual orientation and/or gender identity in the last year
are also particularly likely to have experienced episodes ofanxiety, with 76 per cent saying so.

LGBT people who have experienced anxiety
in the last year

I have a severe anxiety disorder and therefore I rarely
leave my house except for going to work. I'm fairly certain
the reason I rarely experience harassment anymore, andhaven't in the last year, is simply because I go to great
lengths to hide from it, not because there has been any
great change. I experienced harassment and violence
because I was/am known to be trans in my small town ona daily basis for many, many years. I have been hit, kicked,
tripped, spat at, cornered, I was even whipped across theface with a skipping rope once in the street. I've beencalled just about every vile name under the sun.
Lars, 24 (East of England)
One in ten LGBT people (10 per cent) have said theyexperienced some form of addiction in the last year. Onein five disabled LGBT people whose activities are ‘limited
a lot’ because of a health problem or disability (19 percent) have experienced some form of addiction in the lastyear, compared to seven per cent of LGBT people whoaren’t disabled.

72%
60%
56%

Bi women

7

Lesbians

Bi men53%

Gay men

STONEWALL

MENTAL HEALTHLGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORTOne in eight LGBT people (12 per cent) have said theyexperienced an eating disorder in the last year. One infour non-binary people (24 per cent) have experienced thisin the last year compared to 13 per cent of LGBT womenand nine per cent GBT men. More than one in five
Black, Asian and minority ethnic people (22 per cent) and
one in five trans people (19 per cent) have experienced aneating disorder in the last year.

LGBT people who have experienced aneating disorder in the last year

22%
11%

BAME LGBT people

8

One in eight LGBT people aged 18-24 (13 per cent) said
they’ve attempted to take their own life in the last year.
Twelve per cent of trans people made an attempt to taketheir own life in the last year, compared to two per centof LGB people who aren’t trans. Particular communities
at higher risk include: 11 per cent of non-binary people,
eight per cent of Black, Asian and minority ethnic LGBT
people, eight per cent of LGBT disabled people, andseven per cent of LGBT people in category C2DE who
made an attempt to take their own life in the last year.
Half of LGBT people aged 18-24 (52 per cent) havethought about taking their own life in the last year. Half of
non-binary people (50 per cent) and almost half of transpeople (46 per cent) have had those thoughts in the lastyear, compared to 31 per cent of LGB people who aren’ttrans. Bi people are more likely to have thought about
taking their own life than lesbian and gay people, 41 percent compared to 28 per cent.
According to research for NHS Digital, one in twenty
adults in general reported thoughts of taking their own
life in the past year and fewer than one per cent said theyattempted to take their own life in the last year.

White LGBT people

STONEWALL

MENTAL HEALTHLGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORT

More than two in five LGBT people (42 per cent) said
they felt at some point over the last year that life was not
worth living. Seven in ten LGBT people aged 18- 24 (70per cent) have felt life was not worth living in the last year.
Non-binary people and trans people are also more likely tohave felt that life was not worth living, 64 per cent and60 per cent respectively.
Three in five LGBT disabled people (59 per cent) havefelt life was not worth living at some point in the lastyear, compared to three in ten LGBT people who aren’t
disabled (31 per cent).
I’m concerned about the way trans people are treated.
One of my closest friends killed himself 4 months ago.
Joshua, 30 (Wales)

LGBT people who have felt life was not
worth living in the last year
50%

Gay men

9

18%

14%

Bi menLesbians

7%
Gay men

Almost half of LGBT people aged 18-24 (48 per cent)said they’d deliberately harmed themselves in the lastyear. Forty-one per cent of non-binary people said they
harmed themselves compared to 20 per cent of LGBT
women and 12 per cent of GBT men. More than a thirdof trans people (35 per cent) have self-harmed in the lastyear, compared to 14 per cent of LGB people who aren’ttrans. More than one in four LGBT disabled people (28per cent) have self-harmed compared to 11 per cent ofLGBT people who aren’t disabled.
According to research for NHS Digital, around six per centof adults in general said they had self-harmed in the last
year.

43%

Bi menLesbians

28%

Bi women

I have recently been off work because of stress due tohomophobic bullying by my managers. While my colleagues
are great, the managers are terrible. An official complaint to
HR found that homophobic attitudes extend there also, andI have been faced with either quitting or returning. I return
next week but I am feeling stressed and depressed, and attimes suicidal. Dewi, 36 (Wales)

Bi women

LGBT people who have deliberately harmed
themselves in the last year

37%
32%

STONEWALL

MENTAL HEALTHLGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORTRECOMMENDATIONSTHE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARESHOULD:‐‐ Explicitly address the needs of LGBT people in the
updated Suicide Prevention Strategy.
‐‐ Include guidance on meeting the needs of LGBT young
people, including specific guidance on supporting transyoung people, in the curriculum for the new Mental
Health Support Teams.
‐‐ Ensure the training provided to all Designated SeniorLeads for mental health in schools and colleges includes
guidance on meeting the needs of LGBT young people,
including specific guidance on supporting trans young
people.
‐‐ Significantly upscale and accelerate the implementationof the Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental
Health Provision strategy to help more young people
benefit from the proposals.
NHS ENGLAND SHOULD:

MEDICAL AND NURSING SCHOOLS, THE ROYALCOLLEGE OF PSYCHIATRISTS, THE BRITISHPSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND MENTAL HEALTHTRAINING PROVIDERS SHOULD:‐‐ Review their curricula, standards and compulsory andongoing training to ensure they’re fully inclusive of themental health needs of LGBT people.
NHS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES SHOULD:‐‐ Train all staff on the mental health needs of LGBT people(including providing training for CAMHS practitioners
on referral pathways for Gender Identity Development
Services).
‐‐ Consistently monitor patients’ sexual orientation(using the Sexual Orientation Monitoring Information
Standard) and gender identity, supported by training forpractitioners, to identify inequalities in LGBT patient
experience and outcome and develop targeted services
and initiatives to address these.

‐‐ Make mental health a key priority for the new National
LGBT Health Adviser.

‐‐ Make LGBT-inclusive information and resources readily
available for patients.

‐‐ Support the widespread implementation of the Sexual
Orientation Monitoring Information Standard in mental
health services by providing training and guidance forpractitioners.

‐‐ Join Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme.
Like over 75 health and social care organisations who
are already members, the programme can help you todevelop effective training and deliver LGBT-inclusive
services.

NHS DIGITAL SHOULD:‐‐ Ensure that future studies on the national prevalenceof poor mental health among young people and adults
includes analysis in respect of sexual orientation, gender
identity, including for people with multiple protectedcharacteristics (for example, BAME LGBT people andLGBT disabled people), to identify inequalities anddevelop targeted interventions.

Specific recommendations for Government and healthcare organisations in Scotland and Wales can be found in our LGBT in Scotlandand LGBT in Wales health reports.

10

STONEWALLDISCRIMINATION IN HEALTHCARELGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORTDISCRIMINATION IN
HEALTHCARE
Stonewall’s Unhealthy Attitudes research with healthcare providers revealed that
LGBT people face discrimination and lack of understanding of their specific healthneeds when accessing services. Healthcare services have a legal duty under the
Equality Act 2010 to treat LGBT people fairly and without discrimination. However,this research shows that LGBT people continue to face these barriers in accessing
healthcare treatment today.
LGBT people have often had their specific health needs
overlooked by healthcare professionals, which leaves themwith a lack of trust in their healthcare provider. Multiple
needs are often not taken into account, which affects someof the most vulnerable LGBT people. Some LGBT people
aren’t open about their sexual orientation and/or gender
identity when seeking medical help because of fear of unfair
treatment and invasive questioning.

cent) have experienced this at one time. Similarly, one infive Black, Asian and minority ethnic LGBT people (19 percent), including 24 per cent of Asian LGBT people, haveexperienced this.
I was going for my PIP assessment. I held my hand out toshake and the nurse didn't look at myself or my wife after I
introduced who she was and no eye contact throughout theinterview. We felt we wanted to leave.
Philippa,48 (Wales)

One in eight LGBT people (13 per cent) have experienced
some form of unequal treatment from healthcare staff
because they’re LGBT. A third of trans people (32 per cent)have experienced unequal treatment, including 16 per centwho say this happened in the last year alone. One in fivenon-binary people and LGBT disabled people (both 20 per

An NHS nurse asked about my recent gender reassignment
surgery and then went on to compare me to being apaedophile as if being trans is the same thing.
Igor, 32 (East of England)LGBT people who have experienced unequal treatment by healthcare staff
17%

Lesbians

11%

Bi men9%

Gay men
Bi women

11

8%

STONEWALLDISCRIMINATION IN HEALTHCARE

One in four LGBT people (25 per cent) have experienced
inappropriate curiosity from healthcare staff because
they’re LGBT, including nine per cent who’ve experienced
this in the last year alone. Half of trans people (48 percent) and more than a third of non-binary people (36 percent) have experienced inappropriate curiosity; 29 per centof trans people experienced this in the last year alone.
A third of LGBT disabled people (34 per cent) andthree in ten LGBT people aged 18-24 (30 per cent) haveexperienced this.
Lesbians are more likely to experience inappropriatecuriosity; 30 per cent of lesbians have experienced thiscompared to 23 per cent of bi women and 17 per cent of
gay and bi men.
One in ten LGBT people (10 per cent) have been outed
without their consent by healthcare staff in front of otherstaff or patients. More than one in four trans people(27 per cent) have been outed without their consent
compared to seven per cent of LGB people who aren’ttrans. Similarly, 15 per cent of LGBT disabled people haveexperienced this.
I have experienced repeated expression of prejudiced
attitudes towards me by mental health service providers
due to me being trans, some in NHS and some in non-NHS
services. Repeatedly being needlessly outed as trans without
my consent by NHS professionals to other NHS professionals,
despite being transitioned for over 15 years and having
a Gender Recognition Certificate. And repeatedly being
asked intrusive and completely irrelevant questions by NHS
professionals about my transition and other aspects of beingtrans. Euan, 39 (Scotland)LGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORT

Almost one in four LGBT people (23 per cent) have at one
time witnessed discriminatory or negative remarks against
LGBT people by healthcare staff. In the last year alone, six
per cent of LGBT people – including 20 per cent of transpeople – have witnessed these remarks.
A concerning number of LGBT people have been pressured
to access services that are supposed to change or
suppress their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
One in twenty LGBT people (five per cent) have beenpressured to access services to question or change theirsexual orientation when accessing healthcare services.
This number rises to nine per cent of LGBT people aged
18-24, nine per cent of Black, Asian and minority ethnic
LGBT people- and eight per cent of LGBT disabled
people.
One in five trans people (20 per cent) have beenpressured to access services to suppress their gender
identity when accessing healthcare services.
I got sectioned after a suicide attempt and the nurse said thatmy mental health problems were due to allowing Satan in mysoul. If I just accepted my true gender then God could forgive
me. Elijah, 19 (South East)
My ex-girlfriend who had self-harmed tried to look for support
and counselling, however she was directed to a Christiancounsellor funded by the church, and the general consensus
was being gay is making you self-harm so you can be healed
by returning straight. Ezmae, 40 (Wales)

LGBT people who have experienced
inappropriate curiosity from healthcare staff

48%
20%

Trans people

12

LGB people whoaren’t trans
STONEWALLDISCRIMINATION IN HEALTHCARELGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORT

Until very recently, I seldom had a good relationship with health centre
staff, GPs and nurses. It seems to me that it never occurs to manyof them to ask for or be receptive to information about gender andsexuality so that they can factor this in when dealing with healthcare
needs. I suggest much better training is required in some areas. I'm 65
now and this is a concern as I think about ageing and how people aretreated in hospitals and in care homes. Linda, 65 (Scotland)
One in four LGBT people (25 per cent) said they’ve
experienced a lack of understanding of specific lesbian,gay and bi health needs by healthcare staff; almost one
in ten LGBT people (nine per cent) had encountered this in
the last year. A third of Black, Asian and minority ethnic
LGBT people and LGBT disabled people (both 33 per cent)said they experienced a lack of understanding of lesbian,gay and bi specific health needs.
I was told my health conditions and issues were all causedby the fact I'm bi, even though I'm monogamously married
and have dealt with the symptoms since I was 11. Imogen, 33(Wales)Three in five trans people (62 per cent) said they’ve
experienced a lack of understanding of specific transhealth needs by healthcare staff; 41 per cent had
experienced this in the last year.
Doctors and nurses are really uninformed. Going for an
appointment about my mental health usually ends withme in tears because they've decided all of my anxiety anddepression is caused by me being trans. Lisa, 21 (Wales)
I was informed, when looking for mental health resources,that my depression and stress were wholly the fault of mygender identity and expression, rather than due to the strange
working hours I keep and the stress of buying my first home.
Ned, 23 (Wales)

LGBT people who have experienced a lackof understanding by healthcare staff
34%

Lesbians
Bi women21%

Gay men19%

Bi men13

15%

STONEWALLDISCRIMINATION IN HEALTHCARE

One in five LGBT people (19 per cent) aren’t out to anyone
about their sexual orientation when seeking general
medical care. This number rises to 40 per cent of bi men
and 29 per cent of bi women, compared to 11 per cent of
lesbians and 10 per cent of gay men. More than one infour Black, Asian and minority ethnic LGBT people (27 percent) aren’t out to anyone about their sexual orientation.
Almost one in five trans people (18 per cent) aren’t out toanyone about their gender identity when seeking medical
care.
Health professionals ask if I might be pregnant, and when I
say no, follow up with 'Have you had unprotected sex withyour partner since your last period' which, even if I had, would
hardly get me pregnant. Having to decide whether to comeout to people you hardly know and may never see again isnever-ending and a little bit wearying. Claire, 36 (Scotland)
Two in five trans people (40 per cent) and seven percent of LGB people who aren’t trans said they haveexperienced difficulty accessing healthcare because they
are LGBT. Almost one in five LGBT disabled people(19 per cent), LGBT people aged 18-24 (18 per cent)and Black, Asian and minority ethnic LGBT people (18per cent), including 23 per cent of Asian LGBT people,
have experienced difficulty gaining access to healthcare
services.

LGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORTOne in six trans people (16 per cent) and two per cent of
LGB people who aren’t trans have been refused care by ahealthcare service because of being LGBT.
One in seven LGBT people (14 per cent) say they’ve
avoided treatment for fear of discrimination because
they’re LGBT. Almost two in five trans people (37 percent) and a third of non-binary people (33 per cent) haveavoided treatment for fear of discrimination. One in fourLGBT people aged 18-24 (26 per cent) and one in fiveLGBT disabled people (20 per cent) and Black, Asian andminority ethnic LGBT people (19 per cent) have avoided
treatment.
I'm worried my healthcare provider will not take my gender
identity seriously. Isra, 22 (Wales)
I'm too scared to access healthcare services because I'mworried that they won't believe me and won't let me gethelp. Ben, 21 (East Midlands)

Medical professionals are not that good with lesbians. I don't go to theGP very often because they're not familiar with lesbian issues usually.
Donna, 49 (Scotland)

14

STONEWALLDISCRIMINATION IN HEALTHCARELGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORTRECOMMENDATIONSNHS ENGLAND SHOULD:‐‐ Run a highly visible national campaign to tackle
homophobic, biphobic and transphobic discrimination in
healthcare services and encourage reporting‐‐ Support the widespread implementation of the Sexual
Orientation Monitoring Information Standard by
providing training and guidance for practitioners‐‐ Support healthcare services to routinely monitor
patients’ gender identity, where appropriate, and engage
with the trans community to develop a Monitoring
Information Standard for gender identity
MEDICAL AND NURSING SCHOOLS, ROYAL COLLEGES,THE GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL, THE NURSING AND
MIDWIFERY COUNCIL AND TRAINING PROVIDERSSHOULD:‐‐ Review their curricula, standards and training to ensurethat teaching, and compulsory and ongoing training,covers homophobic, biphobic and transphobic languageand discrimination, the health inequalities facing LGBT
people, and providing LGBT-inclusive care, including
specific information on providing trans-inclusive care
ALL HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE PROVIDERS SHOULD:‐‐ Implement mandatory equality and diversity training
for staff, which covers their duties to LGBT people
under the Equality Act 2010, homophobic, biphobic andtransphobic discrimination and language, and providing
LGBT-inclusive care, including specific training ontrans-inclusive care‐‐ Consistently monitor patients’ sexual orientation(using the Sexual Orientation Monitoring Information
Standard) and gender identity, supported by training forpractitioners, to identify inequalities in LGBT patient
experience and outcome and develop targeted services
and initiatives to address these‐‐ Join Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme.
Like over 75 health and social care organisations who
are already members, the programme can help you todevelop effective training and deliver LGBT-inclusive
services
THE GOVERNMENT EQUALITIES OFFICE SHOULD:‐‐ Bring forward and implement comprehensive proposals
to end the practice of conversion therapy. This includes
any form of treatment or psychotherapy that aims tochange a person’s sexual orientation or to suppress aperson’s gender identity‐‐ Develop and prominently display bullying andharassment policies which communicate a zerotolerance approach to homophobic, biphobic andtransphobic discrimination, and publicise clear
complaints procedures to encourage reportingSpecific recommendations for Government and healthcare organisations in Scotland and Wales can be found in our LGBT in Scotlandand LGBT in Wales health reports.
Further recommendations on trans inclusion in general healthcare services and transition-related healthcare can be found inour 2018 report with YouGov LGBT in Britain: Trans Report

15

STONEWALLSMOKING, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USELGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORTSMOKING, ALCOHOL AND
DRUG USE
In line with trends in the general population, LGBT people’s smoking, alcohol anddrug consumption vary according to age: older LGBT people are more likely to drink
alcohol almost every day than younger LGBT people, while younger LGBT people
are more likely to smoke and take drugs.
One in six LGBT people (16 per cent) said they drank
alcohol almost every day over the last year. Frequency ofalcohol consumption increases with age; a third of LGBT
people aged 65+ (33 per cent) say they drink almost every
day, compared to just seven per cent of LGBT people
aged 18-24. One in five GBT men (20 per cent) drank
alcohol almost every day over the last year compared to 13
per cent of LGBT women and 11 per cent of non-binary
people.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), one
in ten adults in general (ten per cent) drink alcohol on fiveor more days in the week.

One in six LGBT people (15 per cent) smoke almost every
day, however the majority of LGBT people (70 per cent)have not smoked at all in the last year. LGBT people aged
65 and over are less likely to smoke, fewer than one inten (nine per cent) smoke almost every day. One in fiveLGBT people in category C2DE (21 per cent) smoke every
day compared to 12 per cent of LGBT people in category
ABC1.
According to the ONS, 15 per cent of adults in generalsmoke cigarettes in the UK.

I am a trainee doctor and would be considered successful, but I hide
the fact that it’s a daily struggle. I often deal with depression andalcohol dependence due to absence of self-esteem, both resulting
from childhood bullying. I've little support and live a fairly lonely life.
Many LGBT people have similar experiences. It’s great that things are
moving forward, but for many, significant damage of the past remains
a factor in the present. Maximilian, 31 (North West)
16

STONEWALLSMOKING, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USELGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORTLGBT people who drink alcohol almost every day
33%

Aged 65+

22%

Aged 55-64

18%

Aged 45-54
Aged 35-44

13%

Aged 25-34

11%
7%

Aged 18-24

One in eight LGBT people aged 18-24 (13 per cent) takedrugs at least once a month.

According to the Home Office around one in 25 (four percent) adults in general aged 16 to 59 had taken a drugin the last month, while around one in 11 (nine per cent)young adults aged 16 to 24 had done so.

LGBT people who take drugs at least once a month13%

Aged 18-24
Aged 25-34

9%

Aged 35-44

9%5%Aged 45-54

4%

Aged 55-64
Aged 65+

17

1%

STONEWALLSMOKING, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USELGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORTRECOMMENDATIONSPUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND AND THE OFFICE FOR
NATIONAL STATISTICS SHOULD:‐‐ Ensure all national datasets on alcohol, smoking
and illegal substance use include analysis by sexual
orientation and gender identity, and include analysis forpeople with multiple protected characteristics (such as
LGBT disabled people and BAME LGBT people) where
inequalities are identified. Support regional and local
partners to implement targeted initiatives to addressthese inequalities.
‐‐ Support public health services to routinely monitor
sexual orientation and gender identity by providing
guidance and training for frontline staff.
LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND CLINICAL COMMISSIONINGGROUPS SHOULD:‐‐ Ensure LGBT inclusion is mainstreamed throughout thecommissioning process for public health services byengaging with local LGBT groups and service users to
identify their needs, setting clear service specifications
for meeting the needs of LGBT people, and monitoringand evaluating progress against them.
‐‐ Commission specific services for LGBT people based onneeds and issues identified.

‐‐ Ensure the needs of LGBT people are explicitly
reflected in Health and Well-Being Boards' Joint
Strategic Needs Assessments.
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES SHOULD:‐‐ Implement mandatory equality and diversity training forstaff, which covers their duties to LGBT people under
the Equality Act 2010 and meeting the needs of LGBT
service users.
‐‐ Develop and prominently display bullying andharassment policies which communicate a zerotolerance approach to homophobic, biphobic andtransphobic discrimination, and publicise clear
complaints procedures to encourage reporting.
‐‐ Provide specific resources and signposting for LGBT
service users.
‐‐ Consistently monitor service users’ sexual orientationand gender identity, supported by training for staff.
Use this data to identify inequalities in service user
experience and outcomes, and develop targetedinterventions, including LGBT-specific services, toaddress them.

‐‐ Join Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme.
Like over 50 local authorities and 75 health and social
care providers who are already members, the programme
can help you to develop effective training and deliver
LGBT-inclusive services.
Specific recommendations for Government and healthcare organisations in Scotland and Wales can be found in our LGBT in Scotlandand LGBT in Wales health reports.

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STONEWALLMETHODOLOGYLGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORTMETHODOLOGY
Between February and April 2017, 5,375 LGBT people across England, Scotland
and Wales completed an online questionnaire about their life in Britain today,
which was administered by YouGov on behalf of Stonewall.
Participants were recruited through the YouGov panel and via an open recruitment that was circulated through a wide range oforganisations, community groups and individuals.
The sample
53 per cent of respondents are from England, 24 per cent are from Wales and 23 per cent are from Scotland.
50 per cent are male, 41 per cent are female and eight per cent describe their gender in a different way. Different terms that
respondents used to describe their gender identity include ‘non-binary’, ‘genderfluid’ and ‘genderqueer’. People who used a
different term to describe their gender identity are referred to as ‘non-binary people’ throughout the report.
58 per cent are gay or lesbian, 30 per cent are bi, nine per cent use a different term to describe their sexual orientation andtwo per cent are straight. Different terms that respondents used to describe their sexual orientation include ‘pansexual’ and‘queer’.
14 per cent said they identify as trans and another four per cent said they are unsure of whether they’re trans or arequestioning their gender identity.
35 per cent are disabled.
28 per cent hold a religious belief or identify as a person of faith.
Six per cent are Black, Asian or minority ethnic.
Unless stated otherwise, graphs referring to LGB identities, include all people who identify as lesbian, gay or bi, including people who
identify as trans and those who do not identify as trans.

The figures have been weighted by region and age. All differences reported in the survey are statistically significant. All names inquotes have been changed for anonymity and ages have been assigned from within age bands.

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STONEWALL

LGBT IN BRITAIN: HEALTH REPORTLGBT IN BRITAINHEALTH REPORTI got sectioned after a suicide attempt and the nurse said that mymental health problems were due to allowing Satan in my soul. If I
just accepted my true gender then God could forgive me.
Elijah, 19 (South East)

I am being treated for depression, which is caused in part by not
being able to access any LGBT senior age-related groups within
80 miles of me. I would be actively involved in such a group if
I could find one, but there is nothing. I feel very isolated.
Rosemary, 70 (Wales)

Designed by Annabel Dakin
Stonewall, 192 St John Street, London EC1V 4JY
info@stonewall.org.uk
www.stonewall.org.uk
Registered Charity number 1101255
PUBLISHED BY STONEWALL, 201820

STONEWALL