Sexual orientation in the UK by region, sex, age, legal partnership status, and ethnic group. These are official statistics in development.

Data on a range of characteristics of people of different sexual orientations from Census 2021 in England and Wales.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales by sexual orientation, age and sex.

Important notice

ONS has identified a production error in the estimate of people identifying as “Pansexual”. This also affects the estimate of those in the “All other sexual orientations” category.

The files below are updated according to the updated version.

Please read the quality notice for more information on the correction.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales by sexual orientation. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Lower Tier Local Authorities

Lower tier local authorities provide a range of local services. In England there are 309 lower tier local authorities. These are made up of non-metropolitan districts (181), unitary authorities (59), metropolitan districts (36) and London boroughs (33, including City of London). In Wales there are 22 local authorities made up of 22 unitary authorities. Of these local authority types, only non-metropolitan districts are not additionally classified as upper tier local authorities.

Sexual orientation (9 categories)

Classifies people according to the responses to the sexual orientation question. This question was voluntary and was only asked of people aged 16 years and over.

Important notice

The Office for Statistics Regulation confirmed on 12/09/2024 that the gender identity estimates from Census 2021 are no longer accredited official statistics and are classified as official statistics in development.

For further information please see: Sexual orientation and gender identity quality information for Census 2021

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales, by gender identity and sex. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

Particular care must be taken in interpreting census results on gender identity. Please read the Sexual orientation and gender identity quality information for Census 2021 before using this data. Read more about this quality notice.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Coverage

Census 2021 statistics are published for the whole of England and Wales. Data are also available in these geographic types:

• country - for example, Wales
• region - for example, London
• local authority - for example, Cornwall
• health area – for example, Clinical Commissioning Group
• statistical area - for example, MSOA or LSOA

Gender identity

Classifies people according to the responses to the gender identity question. This question was voluntary and was only asked of people aged 16 years and over.

Sex

This is the sex recorded by the person completing the census. The options were “Female” and “Male”.

Important notice

The Office for Statistics Regulation confirmed on 12/09/2024 that the gender identity estimates from Census 2021 are no longer accredited official statistics and are classified as official statistics in development.

For further information please see: Sexual orientation and gender identity quality information for Census 2021

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales, by gender identity and sexual orientation. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

Particular care must be taken in interpreting census results on gender identity. Please read the Sexual orientation and gender identity quality information for Census 2021 before using this data. Read more about this quality notice.

Some sub-populations have age and geographic profiles that may affect the relationships with other variables such as education, employment, health and housing. Take care when using this variable with others. We will publish more detailed commentary and guidance later this year. Read more about this quality notice.

Gender identity

Classifies people according to the responses to the gender identity question. This question was voluntary and was only asked of people aged 16 years and over.

Sexual orientation

Classifies people according to the responses to the sexual orientation question. This question was voluntary and was only asked of people aged 16 years and over.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales, by sexual orientation and sex. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

Some sub-populations have age and geographic profiles that may affect the relationships with other variables such as education, employment, health and housing. Take care when using this variable with others. We will publish more detailed commentary and guidance later this year. Read more about this quality notice.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Coverage

Census 2021 statistics are published for the whole of England and Wales. Data are also available in these geographic types:

• country - for example, Wales
• region - for example, London
• local authority - for example, Cornwall
• health area – for example, Clinical Commissioning Group
• statistical area - for example, MSOA or LSOA

Sexual orientation

Classifies people according to the responses to the sexual orientation question. This question was voluntary and was only asked of people aged 16 years and over.

Sex

This is the sex recorded by the person completing the census. The options were “Female” and “Male”.

Sexual identity estimates by occupation 2014. This is presented at a UK level, and broken down by England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Important notice

The Office for Statistics Regulation confirmed on 12/09/2024 that the gender identity estimates from Census 2021 are no longer accredited official statistics and are classified as official statistics in development.

For further information please see: Sexual orientation and gender identity quality information for Census 2021

These datasets provide Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales for gender identity by sex, gender identity by age and gender identity by sex and age.

Gender identity

Gender identity refers to a person's sense of their own gender, whether male, female or another category such as non-binary. This may or may not be the same as their sex registered at birth.

Non-binary

Someone who is non-binary does not identify with the binary categories of man and woman. In these results the category includes people who identified with the specific term "non-binary" or variants thereon. However, those who used other terms to describe an identity that was neither specifically man nor woman have been classed in "All other gender identities".

Sex

This is the sex recorded by the person completing the census. The options were "Female" and "Male".

Trans

An umbrella term used to refer to people whose gender identity is different from their sex registered at birth. This includes people who identify as a trans man, trans woman, non-binary or with another minority gender identity.

Trans man

A trans man is someone who was registered female at birth, but now identifies as a man.

Trans woman

A trans woman is someone who was registered male at birth, but now identifies as a woman.

Usual resident

A usual resident is anyone who on Census Day, 21 March 2021, was in the UK and had stayed or intended to stay in the UK for a period of 12 months or more, or had a permanent UK address and was outside the UK and intended to be outside the UK for less than 12 months.

Notes:

• To ensure that individuals cannot be identified in the data, population counts have been rounded to the nearest five and counts under 10 have been suppressed.

• Percentages have been calculated using rounded data.

This statistic depicts the results of a survey about places where scholars attended a course or a meeting on sexuality and reproduction in Italy in 2018. According to data, 90 percent of students declared to have treated the topic in a meeting or a course which took place in school, the most common place where scholars discussed this subject. Moreover, 14 percent of respondents stated that they got information on sexuality and reproduction in a course or meeting offered by health services.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales, by sexual orientation and age. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

Some sub-populations have age and geographic profiles that may affect the relationships with other variables such as education, employment, health and housing. Take care when using this variable with others. We will publish more detailed commentary and guidance later this year. Read more about this quality notice.

Estimates for single year of age between ages 90 and 100+ are less reliable than other ages. Estimation and adjustment at these ages was based on the age range 90+ rather than five-year age bands. Read more about this quality notice.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Coverage

Census 2021 statistics are published for the whole of England and Wales. Data are also available in these geographic types:

• country - for example, Wales
• region - for example, London
• local authority - for example, Cornwall
• health area – for example, Clinical Commissioning Group
• statistical area - for example, MSOA or LSOA

Sexual orientation

Classifies people according to the responses to the sexual orientation question. This question was voluntary and was only asked of people aged 16 years and over.

Age (D)

A person’s age on Census Day, 21 March 2021 in England and Wales. Infants aged under 1 year are classified as 0 years of age. Age is classified as follows:

• Aged 15 years and under
• Aged 16 to 24 years
• Aged 25 to 34 years
• Aged 35 to 44 years
• Aged 45 to 54 years
• Aged 55 to 64 years
• Aged 65 to 74 years
• Aged 75 years and over

Subnational sexual identity for 2013 to 2015

The coronavirus pandemic has impacted every aspect of our daily life. Relationships with friends, partners, coworkers, etc. have been particularly affected. A recent study conducted in the United States in 2021 aimed to find out the perspective of American women on the changes brought by the pandemic on their sexual life. According to the survey results, the coronavirus pandemic led to positive changes among some respondents. Specifically, 46 percent of American interviewees stated that the quality of their sex life had improved.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales by sexual orientation by general health. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

Some sub-populations have age and geographic profiles that may affect the relationships with other variables such as education, employment, health and housing. Take care when using this variable with others. We will publish more detailed commentary and guidance later this year. Read more about this quality notice.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Coverage

Census 2021 statistics are published for the whole of England and Wales. Data are also available in these geographic types:

• country - for example, Wales
• region - for example, London
• local authority - for example, Cornwall
• health area – for example, Clinical Commissioning Group
• statistical area - for example, MSOA or LSOA

Sexual orientation

Classifies people according to the responses to the sexual orientation question. This question was voluntary and was only asked of people aged 16 years and over.

General health

A person's assessment of the general state of their health from very good to very bad. This assessment is not based on a person's health over any specified period of time.

A first step towards identifying and closing data gaps is to take stock of data that already exists. For this dataset, we collected LGBTIQ+ data in European social science archives. We researched all data archives of CESSDA ERIC, the Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives, and found 66 LGBTIQ+ datasets in 9 of the 34 member and partner archives. Besides basic information to identify the datasets and their locations, we recorded temporal and spatial coverage, LGBTIQ+ identities sampled, access category, and keywords. In a separate dataset we take a closer look at the datasets’ keywords. We recorded information about language and whether a given keyword is related to LGBITQ+ identities. To describe the topics covered in the studies, the keywords were mapped to the CESSDA Topic Classification. A sentiment analysis with SentiStrength classifies whether a keyword has negative or positive/neutral sentiment.

Additional keywords (https://thesauri.cessda.eu/elsst-4/en/): gender identity, genderqueer, LGBTQI+, non-binary persons, queer persons, transgender persons, sexual orientation, homosexuality, bisexuality, intersex persons

A line chart that shows % of U.S. adults who favor same-sex marriage, by gender (2001-2019)

This study explored the implications and practices of school context for boys and girls located in Osun State, Nigeria. The study examined the socialization practices, division of labor, gender roles, and access to information and resources. A total of 1,032 students, aged 10 to 14 years old, were surveyed pre-intervention. Two years later 726 of those same students were surveyed once again. The student quantitative data (DS1) was obtained using the Global Early Adolescent Study (GEAS) instrument. The survey is a composite of three instruments - health, vignettes, and gender norm scales. Data obtained explored a series of key health and behavioral factors including: schooling status, aspiration, and connectedness; neighborhood safety and control; pubertal maturation; body comfort; health literacy; mental health including violence, depression and drug use; empowerment; sexual practices and romantic relationships; and future expectations. Additionally, in DS1, the vignette-based questions and gender-norm scales assess student beliefs exploring perceptions with gender undertone statements. The vignette-based section assesses gender equality in scenarios related with child behavior and development (attraction to opposite sex, teasing / bullying, puberty, and pregnancy). The school assessment instruments (DS2 and DS3) completed by teachers explored the content and structure of reproductive health topics taught in the schools. Also, overall gender attitudes were asked about. The qualitative data (DS4) were obtained through small group interviews with parents. The interviews explored parents' perspective on their child's development, their role as agents of gender socialization, and how they view the school's role in teaching health sexuality.