United Kingdom
The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act, 2000 provides that the age of consent is the same for same-sex and opposite-sex sexual activity.
The Equality Act prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, sex and sexual orientation. Discrimination based on sex and sexual orientation is also barred in specific sectors: services and public functions, housing, employment, education, and associations (Equality Act, 2010).
The Criminal Justice and Immigration Act (2008) prohibits hate speech against people defined by reference to their sexual orientation.
Same-sex relationships are legally recognized as civil partnerships in the United Kingdom (Civil Partnership Act, 2004).
Same-sex civil partnerships have the same legal consequences as opposite-sex marriages (Civil Partnership Act, 2004).
Members of Parliament will vote on a bill to legalize same-sex marriage (The Marriage (Same Sex Couples Bill) in February 2013. The Bill would exempt clergy in the Church of England from having to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies.
Same-sex partners (both civil and de facto) in England, Wales and Scotland can jointly adopt children (Adoption and Children Act, 2002 and Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act, 2007).
The Civil Partnership Act (2004) permits individuals to adopt the children of their civil partners.
Members of same-sex couples (either civil or de facto) have equal access to the legal presumptions of parentage where a child has been born through IVF, assisted/self-insemination, gametes or a surrogate mother (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, 2008).
Individuals can be legally recognized by their preferred gender in all official documents by obtaining a gender recognition certificate. This can be obtained by evidence of living in the other gender, or having changed gender under the law of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom (Gender Recognition Act, 2004).
The Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations (2006) permit individuals to sponsor their same-sex partners (either civil or de facto) and relatives of their partners to immigrate to the United Kingdom.
Scotland
Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) Scotland Act, 2009, recognize homophobic and transphobic motivation as aggravating factors in criminal sentencing in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, respectively.
Northern Ireland
Criminal Justice No. 2 (Northern Ireland) Order (2004) recognize homophobic and transphobic motivation as aggravating factors in criminal sentencing in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, respectively.
Section 3 of the Criminal Justice No. 2 (Northern Ireland) Order (2004) prohibits hate speech against people defined by reference to their sexual orientation.
link to full text in PDF: United Kingdom-SOGI Legislation Country Report-2013-eng