New UK guidelines expected by summer after Supreme Court gender ruling

Following a Supreme Court ruling that the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the UK Equality Act 2010 refer to biological sex, public bodies and service providers are expected to receive updated statutory guidance by this summer to clarify the implementation of single-sex spaces. The ruling allows for the exclusion of transgender women with a gender recognition certificate from women-only spaces if it is deemed proportionate, though organizations are not legally required to provide single-sex spaces and can offer additional unisex or third spaces. While women's rights campaigners welcomed the decision for providing legal clarity, trans rights advocates and LGBT groups expressed concern, stating it could increase exclusion and distress within the trans community. Officials emphasized that trans people retain strong legal protections against discrimination under the Equality Act, with coverage for gender reassignment and sex discrimination. Government ministers and the NHS have confirmed they will carefully review and update policies to comply with the new legal interpretation, while also stressing the importance of upholding the dignity and rights of trans individuals. The ruling is seen as providing clarity but not as a victory for any group at the expense of another, and ongoing work is expected to address practical implications.