LGBT+ rights
Find out about rights and responsibilities for same-sex couples.
Dealing with discrimination (LGBT+)
No one should have to deal with discrimination, prejudice or intimidation because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. If you do face discrimination, it's important to remember that you can complain or report it.
What legal protection do I have against LGBT+ discrimination?
No one should ever treat you badly because of your sexual orientation or gender identity – but sadly it’s something many LGBT+ people experience.
However, the Equality Act 2010 makes it illegal to discriminate against people based on 'personal characteristics'. These include:
- age
- disability
- gender reassignment
- sexual orientation
- sex.
The Act covers you at work and when you're accessing goods and services – for instance, in care homes, healthcare settings, shops and hotels. It means an organisation can’t usually refuse you services or treat you differently because of your sexual orientation or gender identity. There are some circumstances where this doesn't apply, for example in some single-sex spaces.
What should I do if I'm experiencing LGBT+ discrimination?
If you’re being intimidated or harassed, or if someone's being violent towards you, it’s important to seek help. It's important to remember that there are laws in place to protect you, and lots of organisations can offer you support.
If a crime is motivated by homophobia, biphobia or transphobia the police can take this into account and it can be used in sentencing.
If you’re unhappy with the police’s response, you can contact the professional standards department of the police force in question.
If you have a complaint about the way an organisation has treated you, you first need to go through their standard complaints process – this might be writing to the manager, for instance. If you’re unhappy with the response you get, you might need to seek further advice about how to take your case forward, depending on the organisation.
How do I complain about health and care services?
If you feel you’ve been treated unfairly in a health or care setting, you can make a complaint. You shouldn’t worry that you’re making a fuss or causing more problems. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity – and you have the right to expect good quality services from the NHS.
Making a complaint about NHS services
All NHS organisations must have a complaints procedure explaining who to contact if you're unhappy and detailing how they investigate and respond to complaints. If you’re in England and you're not happy with the way your complaint is handled, you can ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) to look into it.
Find out more about complaining about NHS services
Making a complaint about care
If there are issues with your care, the first step is to try resolving them informally. If you can't resolve them informally, then there are formal options.
If your local council provides your care, you should make a complaint using the council's complaints procedure. If you've arranged your care privately, you can make a complaint using the care provider's complaints procedure. Explain what's gone wrong and what you'd like to happen to resolve things.
If you're unhappy with the outcome of your complaint, whether you complained to the council or the care provider, you can contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman in England.
We're here to help
We offer support through our free advice line on 0800 678 1602. Lines are open 8am-7pm, 365 days a year. We also have specialist advisers at over 120 local Age UKs.