What does the pledge mean? 

Conversion therapy is an umbrella term which refers to interventions (ranging from physical violence to spiritual or talking therapy) which aim to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity, typically from minority sexual orientations or gender identities to heterosexual or cisgender, on the assumption that these identities are preferable to others.

Conversion therapy has been called “unethical and potentially harmful” by a consortium of UK health, mental health and psychotherapy organisations and charities, including NHS England. Some evidence links it to negative health outcomes for LGBT+ people. The government has described conversion practices as “abuse”.

Some types of conversion therapy may include practices or activities that are already illegal under existing legislation—such as assault, drug offences and harassment.

In its manifesto, Labour pledged to “finally deliver a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, while protecting the freedom for people to explore their sexual orientation and gender identity”. Since 2018, successive governments have promised to outlaw conversion therapy, though not all of these proposals covered conversion practices related to gender identity, as Labour promised to include.

The pledge refers to England and Wales, as criminal law is devolved in other UK nations. Separate proposed legislation in Northern Ireland would also criminalise conversion practices if successfully introduced and passed by the devolved assembly. The Scottish government has said it favours working with the UK government on a ban, but that it would introduce its own legislation if necessary.

Labour’s manifesto did not give a date by which the ban would be delivered.

Proposals by previous governments prompted some concerns from stakeholders, including those who felt legislation of this nature, if poorly drafted, could inhibit religious freedoms, and those who felt the proposals did not go far enough to protect LGBT+ people.

What progress has been made?

We are currently rating this pledge as “in progress”, as the government has now published its draft bill, but it has not yet been introduced to Parliament.

The commitment to bring forward a draft bill to ban conversion practices—the draft Conversion Practices Bill—was included in the King’s Speech in July 2024, which set out the government’s legislative agenda and policy priorities for its first session of Parliament.

However, the bill was not published before the prorogation of Parliament at the end of April 2026.

It was mentioned again in the King’s Speech of May 2026, which said the government will bring forward “a draft Bill to ban abusive conversion practices [Draft Conversion Practices Bill].”

On 25 June 2026 the draft bill was published. The government said the proposed ban “will set the criminal threshold for conversion practices as conduct that aims to change someone’s sexual orientation or transgender identity through abusive acts that seriously harm the victim.”

The draft bill proposes the creation of two criminal offences:

• “carrying out abusive conversion practices that cause serious harm, alarm or distress to the victim
• “encouraging or assisting an abusive conversion practice performed outside England and Wales”.

An unlimited fine, custodial sentence of up to five years, or both, could face those found guilty of conducting abusive conversion practices.

The bill, if taken forward as drafted, would also create new civil Conversion Practice Protection Orders and breach offences, which the government said would “support victims as well as those currently at risk of abuse”.

The government has also said that there are “exemptions for legitimate healthcare”, which would ensure “healthcare professionals, therapists and counsellors can be confident that they can continue their work to support patients and have free and open conversations about sexuality and transgender identity”.

The draft bill will undergo pre-legislative scrutiny “to give opportunity to draw on the expertise and insight of a range of parliamentarians and stakeholders”.

While some have welcomed the contents of the draft Bill, others have expressed concerns it could restrict religious freedoms.