UK cuts costs of gender recognition certificates

The UK government has reduced the £140 application fee for a gender recognition certificate to £5, with LGBTQ+ activists saying more needs to be done to support the trans community. The new price will be officially implemented next month, with a spokesperson saying the government is “committed to making the process of applying for a gender recognition certificate as straightforward and dignified as possible.”

Ex-government LGBTQ+ advisor, Jayne Ozanne, told i News that while the changes are “welcome”, they are a “fig leaf to cover the fact that the entire process is still extremely complex and cumbersome.” She said trans people need “clear [government] commitment to meaningful reform”, and hopes authorities are “taking their concerns about the process and access to services seriously.”

Mermaids representative Alex Woolhouse added that many gender diverse people still won’t qualify for the certificate, saying: “There is still no way for non-binary people to have their gender recognised in the UK.” He said that although the reduced costs are “great”,  the “price cut doesn’t address is all the hidden costs that are still linked to getting your gender legally recognised.”