Thousands of toilets across the UK will need to be revamped when new guidance on single-sex spaces comes into force. The changes, which will supposedly cost the Government millions, will see nearly 13,000 toilets at gyms, hospitals, and leisure centres across the nation change. More than 5,000 changing rooms are also expected to change, meaning at least 18,000 signs will need to be changed, according to figures obtained by the Press Association.
Public-sector bodies, including local councils, could face costs totalling £20.6 million for upgrading facilities and £14.2 million per year for building work. However, these figures could rise even higher.
The code of practice, which covers England, Scotland, and Wales, was published in May, noting that a service must be provided on the basis of biological sex to be classed as single-sex under the Equality Act, in accordance with the Supreme Court's April 2025 ruling.
What this means for public spaces such as single-sex toilets, changing rooms, and hospital wards is that they must be used based on the sex of an individual rather than the gender they identify.
The code was updated for the first time in more than a decade and published by the UK Government eight months after it was received from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The Government claims that it was “taking the time to get this right”.
Restaurants, leisure centres and hairdressers; public functions such as council services; and associations such as local sports clubs with at least 25 members, will all be impacted by the updated guidance.
It could still be weeks until the code formally comes into effect. However, once it does, organisations will have to ensure their amenities meet obligations under the 2010 Equality Act.
New data obtained by the Press Association from a Freedom of Information request to the EHRC reveals a fuller breakdown of costs, along with the number of facilities potentially affected.
The changes to the code have faced criticism from Trans advocacy groups that claim it leaves transgender people in the UK with “less rights”. A motion in the House of Commons calling for its scrapping has been signed by more than 160 MPs.
