LGBT+ people will be protected from physical and psychological abuse to change who they are, as the government announces a landmark ban on abusive Conversion Practices in England and Wales, with the publication of the draft Conversion Practices Bill.
- Government publishes a draft Bill that will deliver a landmark ban on abusive conversion practices in England and Wales.
- Current legal loopholes leave victims at risk, and new legislation will fill gaps in the law to protect people from abhorrent abuse.
- Proposed ban includes safeguards for legitimate healthcare and therapy, and robust thresholds that protect open conversations, and free speech.
The proposed ban will set the criminal threshold for conversion practices as conduct that aims to change someone’s sexual orientation or transgender identity through abusive acts that seriously harm the victim.
These abhorrent practices are still happening today, with people being subjected to physical, sexual, economic and psychological abuse. Victims of conversion practices have recounted stories that range from beatings and rape to verbal threats, manipulation and exorcisms.
Conversion practices are still happening in 2026 because of a series of legal loopholes that allow perpetrators to escape justice. Existing pieces of legislation that cover domestic violence, coercive control and communications offences do not adequately address the unique nature of abusive conversion practices, leaving a gap in the law that can be exploited. In addition, the lack of a legal definition of abusive conversion practices makes it challenging for police and prosecutors to act. The only way to tackle these problems is through this legislation.
The legislation will create the following criminal offences:
- Carrying out abusive conversion practices that cause serious harm, alarm or distress to the victim.
- Encouraging or assisting an abusive conversion practice performed outside England and Wales.
It also creates new civil Conversion Practice Protection Orders and breach offence to support victims as well as those currently at risk of abuse. These will be similar to protection orders for forced marriage and female genital mutilation and will pre-emptively protect people
Someone found guilty of conducting abusive conversion practices could face an unlimited fine, a custodial sentence of up to 5 years or both.
Amanda Martin MP for Portsmouth North said: “Nobody should face abuse because of who they are. For too long, LGBT+ people in Portsmouth have been left vulnerable to harmful conversion practices that seek to change who they are.
I’m proud that this govenment is delivering on its promise to ban these abusive practices. This is a significant step forward in protecting people from harm and ensuring everyone can live with dignity, safety and respect.”
Olivia Bailey MP, Minister for Equalities, said: “Conversion practices are driven by the false belief that being LGBT+ is shameful and can be forcibly changed.
“No-one should face abuse just because of who they are. That’s why we are delivering on our manifesto commitment to ban abusive conversion practices.
“Legal loopholes have left LGBT+ people vulnerable to these harmful acts which is why we must legislate.”
Simon Blake, CEO at Stonewall, said: “People from the LGBTQ+ community are not broken or in need of ‘fixing’. That’s why I’m so pleased the government have published a draft bill to ban conversion practices that attempt to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. These practices are abuse, and every day without a ban in place leaves people at risk of serious harm.
“This is testament to the hard work of campaigners and survivors who have bravely shared their stories and refused to give up. We look forward to continuing our work with sector partners, Parliament, and government to ensure the legislation is robust and effective.”
The draft legislation is clear that the government is not seeking to criminalise expressing beliefs about LGBT+ identities, nor is it seeking to ban explorative conversations and questioning about someone’s identity. That is why a high threshold for criminality has been included, so that only the acts that are abusive, seeking to change someone’s identity, and create real harm to the person, will be in scope.
The proposed ban includes exemptions for legitimate healthcare. This ensures that healthcare professionals, therapists and counsellors can be confident that they can continue their work to support patients and have free and open conversations about sexuality and transgender identity.
Our proposed ban aligns with international best practices by being trans-inclusive, protecting individuals from harm, and including a custodial sentence for perpetrators. Through targeting abusive conduct intended to change someone’s identity, the offence mirrors parts of New Zealand’s approach while remaining tailored to the UK legal framework.
The government has recognised that this is a complex legal area and is seeking to build a genuine consensus around a ban. That is why the draft Bill will now undergo pre-legislative scrutiny to give opportunity to draw on the expertise and insight of a range of parliamentarians and stakeholders, ensuring that a ban is as effective as possible in the long term.
Today’s draft Bill is the latest action taken by the government to tackle abuse against the LGBT+ community and comes after legislation passed in Spring equalised hate crime protections for LGBT+ people.
The government has also taken further action to fulfil its commitments to the LGBT+ community, including:
- Righting the historic wrongs committed against LGBT veterans
- Publishing a HIV Action Plan to end new transmissions by 2030
- Investing £21m in global LGBT+ rights
