Sexual orientation

People's self identified sexual orientation, from Census 2021 data and the Annual Population survey.

Spotlight

The census question on sexual orientation was a voluntary question asked of those aged 16 years and over.
In total, 44.9 million people (92.5% of the population aged 16 years and over) answered the question.
Around 43.4 million people (89.4%) identified as straight or heterosexual.

The proportion of the UK population aged 16 years and over identifying as heterosexual or straight was 93.6% in 2020; there has been a decreasing trend since the series began in 2014.
An estimated 3.1% of the UK population aged 16 years and over identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) in 2020, an increase from 2.7% in 2019 and almost double the percentage from 2014 (1.6%).
The proportion of men in the UK identifying as LGB increased from 1.9% to 3.4% between 2014 and 2020; the proportion of women identifying as LGB has risen from 1.4% to 2.8% over the same period.

Sexual orientation, UK

Sexual orientation in the UK from 2012 to 2020 by region, sex, age, marital or legal partnership status, ethnic group. and National Statistics Socio-economic Classification.
Sexual Identity by Gender by Country

Sexual identity estimates by gender from 2010 to 2014. This is presented at a UK level, and broken down by England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Sexual Identity lesbian, gay and bisexual population by Occupation by Country

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

Subnational sexual identity for 2013 to 2015
Cigarette smoking by Sexual Identity, by Country

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

Sexual orientation, England and Wales: Census 2021

The sexual orientation of usual residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales, Census 2021 data.
Sexual orientation, UK: 2020

Experimental Statistics on sexual orientation in the UK in 2020 by region, sex, age, marital or legal partnership status, ethnic group and socio-economic classification, using data from the Annual Population Survey (APS).
Integrated Household Survey (Experimental statistics): January to December 2014

Sexual identity, smoking prevalence and perceived general health using data from the Integrated Household Survey.
Personal well-being in the UK: April 2021 to March 2022

Estimates of life satisfaction, feeling that the things done in life are worthwhile, happiness and anxiety at the UK, country, regional, county, local and unitary authority level.

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