More than 1.5 million people in England and Wales have an LGBTQ+ sexual identity - as census data reveals the diverse “Rainbow Britain” of today. That equates to 3.16% of the population aged 16 and over who said they did not identify as “straight or heterosexual”.
Among those who identified as LGBTQ+, almost 748,000 people (1.54% of the population aged 16 and over) said they were gay or lesbian, the most common sexuality after heterosexual. Another 623,000 people said they were bisexual (1.28%).
There were also 112,000 people, or 0.23%, who identified as pansexual (meaning their romantic and sexual attraction is not limited by sex or gender), 28,000, or 0.06%, who said they were asexual (a person who does not feel sexual attraction), and almost 15,000, or 0.03%, who said they were queer, meaning they reject specific labels of romantic or sexual orientation.
Some 10,000 people (0.02%) listed another sexual orientation, while 3.6m (7.47%) did not answer the question. Nine in 10 people (89.37%) in England and Walesdescribed themselves as straight or heterosexual.
The figures come from the 2021 census for England and Wales. It is the first time figures on sexual orientation have been included in census records, with people aged 16 and over asked to provide this information on a voluntary basis.
Nancy Kelley, Chief Executive of Stonewall said “For the past two centuries of data gathering through our national census, LGBTQ+ people have been invisible, with the stories of our communities, our diversity, and our lives missing from the national record. Today is a historic step forward after decades of Stonewall campaigning to record sexual orientation and gender identity in the census, finally painting an accurate picture of the diverse ‘Rainbow Britain’ that we now live in, where more and more of us are proud to be who we are.
“This data will help Stonewall and others make the case to better target resources and support to help LGBTQ+ people thrive, whether in health, education or work. But just as important, it means our country knows itself a little better today.”
Brighton and Hove, in Sussex had the highest proportion of people with an LGBTQ+ sexual orientation (10.73% of the population aged 16 and over); while Rochford in Essex had the highest proportion of people identifying as heterosexual or straight (92.90%).
ONS director Jen Woolford said the first census estimates were “crucial”, adding: “They will ensure decision-makers have the best information so they can better understand the extent and nature of disadvantage which people may be experiencing in terms of educational outcomes, health, employment, and housing. This is just the first snapshot. In future analysis, we will be exploring sexual orientation and gender identity by key demographic variables, such as age and sex, as well as employment, health, education, and ethnicity, among others.”
