Population overview

Public Health England (PHE) estimates that between 2% and 5% of the national population identify with a non-heterosexual sexual orientation. GP survey data also shows that young adults are more likely to identify with non-heterosexual identities than older age groups. Although there has been NHS guidance on collecting data on sexual orientation there is very little Birmingham data on the health of this group. Based on the various available reports we have estimated the LGBT population of Birmingham to be approximately 45,000 adults. This does not however include practising homosexual men who continue to see themselves as heterosexual whilst having sexual contact with other men.

There are no national estimates on the trans population in England because the subject is not included in the national census. Additionally, there hasn’t been any research completed elsewhere in England which was large enough to be statistically significant. The best estimate is that around 1% of the population might identify as trans, including people who identify as non-binary. If we applied this estimate in Birmingham (and assume that the 1% figure is equally represented across all age groups), then there are an estimated 1,400 trans people aged 16 to 24 years in Birmingham.