Information on Prevalence, Incidence and Monitoring
Gender Diversity in the UK
2021 Census
For the first time 2021 UK Census asked people aged over 16: “Is the gender you identify with the same as your sex registered at birth?”
- 45.7 million (94.0% of the population aged 16 years and over) answered the question.
- 45.4 million (93.5%) answered “Yes” and 262,000 (0.5%) answered “No”.
- 2.9 million (6.0%) did not answer the question.
Several factors may have reduced the number of “No” responses the Census can be completed by a single family member for a whole household. Consequently, some trans and gender diverse people may not have been able to answer the question. Others may not have felt it was safe to do so.
Of the 262,000 people (0.5%) who answered “No”, indicating that their gender identity was different from their sex registered at birth:
- 118,000 (0.24%) answered “No” but did not provide any further information
- 48,000 (0.10%) identified as a trans man
- 48,000 (0.10%) identified as a trans woman
- 30,000 (0.06%) identified as non-binary
- 18,000 (0.04%) wrote in a different gender identity
Data from other sources indicate thar that the Census figures may understate the size of the trans and gender diverse population.
Internal surveys conducted in 2017 by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority and the BBC indicated 2%.
An Ipsos survey carried out in 2022 resulted in 3.1% of people saying they were trans, non-binary, gender queer or gender fluid, Agender or another gender that was not male or female.
GIRES Monitoring Questions Guidance August 2023
World Professional Association for Transgender Health Symposium
Oslo, June 18–20 2009
A model for the demographics of trans people in the UK
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Webpage Originally Published: 2014-10-01