What does the pledge mean?

The Gender Recognition Act (GRA) 2004 enables transgender adults to apply to legally change their gender through a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC), which recognises a transgender person as their affirmed gender (referred to as “acquired gender” in the Act) in UK law.

This allows holders to, for example, update their birth certificate to their affirmed gender, get married under their affirmed gender, and to have their affirmed gender recognised on their death certificate.

The Gender Recognition Panel looks at applications for GRCs. Two reports from medical doctors, or a medical doctor and a clinical psychologist, are required. In at least one of these reports, most applicants need to provide medical evidence of a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, which the NHS describes as the sense of unease a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity.

At least one of these reports must also detail any planned or past gender affirming treatments, such as hormone therapy or surgical treatment.

Labour’s manifesto pledged that any reforms to the GRA would still require trans people to be diagnosed with gender dysphoria: “we will remove indignities for trans people who deserve recognition and acceptance; whilst retaining the need for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria from a specialist doctor, enabling access to the healthcare pathway”.

Applicants also need to provide evidence that they have “lived in [their] affirmed gender for the last two years”, such as using the title of their affirmed gender on official documentation like passports or driving licences.

Separate rules govern the application process for those whose affirmed gender is already recognised by an approved country or territory, while in some cases a gender dysphoria diagnosis is not required, provided other conditions are met.

Labour’s manifesto did not say which parts of the GRA it considered “intrusive and outdated”, and which aspects of the law it intended to reform.

In 2023, Labour’s then shadow equalities minister Anneliese Dodds suggested the reforms could include removing the need for applications to be assessed by a panel, in favour of a single registrar. We have asked the government for more information on this, and will update this article if we receive a response.

As gender recognition laws are devolved to Scotland and Northern Ireland, this pledge only refers to England and Wales.

When we asked the government’s Women and Equalities Unit for further information, it did not give a timeframe on when changes to the GRA can be expected, or further details on what reforms are intended.

What progress has been made?

Ministers have repeated their commitment to reforming the GRA, but no date has yet been set for legislation to this effect to be introduced. For this reason, we are rating this pledge as “wait and see”.

In February 2025, equalities minister Dame Nia Griffith acknowledged the government’s manifesto commitment to “modernising, simplifying, and reforming gender recognition law”, while “upholding the Equality Act and its provisions on single-sex exceptions”. She said “next steps” on this aim would be outlined “in due course”, but did not give any further details of the proposed reforms.

In June 2025, Leader of the House of Commons Lucy Powell again acknowledged the government’s manifesto commitment, but said the government’s “immediate priorities for the trans community are a trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices and strengthening the protections from hate crimes”.

When we asked the government about this pledge in July 2025, a spokesperson also told us the government’s priorities for trans people were a trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, strengthening hate crime protection and improving trans healthcare. We have asked whether this means changes to the GRA will not take place until these “priorities” have been achieved, as currently appears to be the case. We will update this page if we receive a response.

In recent months, there has been speculation that the government has “shelved” its plans to reform gender recognition laws. In response, government minister Dame Angela Eagle reportedly disputed these accounts, and said the government’s “manifesto commitments with respect to gender recognition … will be going ahead”.