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Home | Lesbian and Gay Issues

Lesbian and Gay Issues

The Government is working to put an end to all forms of discrimination, including sexual orientation.

This section outlines some of the areas in which the Ministers for Women and the Women and Equality Unit are spearheading Government policy.

Sexual Orientation

The Government is committed to a just and fair society and has already made progress in a number of areas relating to sexual orientation. More about sexual orientation

Civil Partnership

The Civil Partnership Act came into force on 5 December 2005. The Act creates a new legal relationship of civil partnership, giving legal recognition to same-sex couples for the first time.

Civil partnership gives a wide range of rights and responsibilities similar to marriage to those couples that opt to register. Certain same-sex relationships registered overseas (e.g. civil unions or same-sex marriages) may automatically be treated as civil partnerships in the UK provided certain conditions are met.

For information about how to register a civil partnership in England and Wales click here

Goods, facilities and services

The Government is taking steps to tackle goods, facilities and services discrimination against lesbian, gay and bisexual people on grounds of their sexual orientation.

The Equality Bill includes an order making power that allows Regulations to be made to prohibit sexual orientation discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities and services and the execution of public functions. The Government intends to set out their proposed approach to the Regulations in a consultation document early this year, giving interested parties an opportunity to share their views on the Regulations.

The Government is keen to ensure that these Regulations have effect where they are most needed, in order to tackle the unfair discrimination facing lesbian, gay and bisexual people in their day-to-day lives.

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