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Published: December 12, 2024 by mbelfield
To our trans, non-binary, gender diverse and LGBTQ+ communities and service users,
You may be aware that puberty blockers have been banned for under 18s for a while now. You may have also seen the news yesterday that this has now been extended to an indefinite ban on the new prescription of puberty blockers until review in April 2027.
We are conscious that this decision impacts not only our communities but also friends, families and loved ones. We wanted to take the opportunity to provide you with some of the facts around this, and to let you know what we’ve done and what we will be doing going forward.
Here’s what the ban will do:
Children and young people can still access puberty blockers through:
There is no ban on children and young people aged 16+ beginning gender-affirming hormone treatment.
LGBT Foundation submitted a consultation response a few months ago expressing our concerns about a ban, and our colleagues also gave verbal evidence to the Commission on Human Medicine. It seems that these efforts, and those of the sector, did not sway the result in the way we had hoped. Despite this, we at LGBT Foundation are committed to using our influence and resources to support trans rights and healthcare as well as engaging with policymakers to challenge this decision. We continue to protect the well-being of our trans colleagues and service users during this time and welcome feedback from our communities so we can work together for a better future.
We are, of course, disappointed that the ban has now been extended indefinitely and recognise the distress this may cause to members of our communities. If you are affected by any of these issues and would like to access support, please contact our helpline at 0345 3 30 30 30 or visit https://lgbt.foundation for further resources.
You can also reach out to Mermaids via their helpline on 080 880 10 400 or website: mermaidsuk.org.uk.
