The UK government has announced a ban on gender-neutral bathrooms for all new public and private non-residential buildings and rebuilds. The decision comes after a consultation where 81% of respondents agreed with the intention for separate single-sex toilet facilities, and 82% agreed with the intention to provide "universal" toilets – fully enclosed toilet rooms with wash hand basins – where space allows.

This bold step is part of a series of actions by the UK government to protect single-sex spaces, including the introduction of a new NHS constitution which emphasizes patient safety and dignity, and reinforcing the NHS’s commitment to providing single-sex wards.

The new regulations also encourage the provision of self-contained universal toilets, which are fully enclosed toilet rooms with wash hand basins for individual use, in addition to single-sex toilets. This move aims to address concerns about privacy and dignity in gender-neutral facilities.

Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch has stated that the change will help combat the rise of gender-neutral toilet spaces, which she believes "deny privacy and dignity to both men and women." The government has also emphasized its commitment to ensuring single-sex spaces are protected for all.

The guidelines for how schools in England deal with transgender and young people require schools to maintain separate toilets and changing facilities for children aged eight years and over, allow staff and students to ignore pronouns preferred by socially transitioning children, and allow for sport and PE activities to be segregated by sex if there are safety concerns.

This decision marks a significant shift in UK policy regarding public and private non-residential buildings, with the government taking a firm stance on the provision of separate single-sex toilet facilities.