Policy paper

Conversion practices draft bill

Published 25 June 2026

Applies to England and Wales

A Bill to create new offences in relation to the carrying out of abusive conversion practices on individuals; to make provision for conversion practice protection orders: and for connected purposes.

Be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1. Meaning of “conversion practice” and related terms

(1) This section has effect for the purposes of this Act.

(2) “Conversion practice” means (subject to subsection (3)) any conduct carried out by a person towards an individual with the intention of—

• (a) causing the individual—
  • (i) to have or not to have,
  • (ii) to believe that they have or do not have,

a sexual orientation or a particular sexual orientation; or

• (b) causing the individual—
  • (i) to have or not to have,
  • (ii) to believe that they have or do not have,

a transgender identity or a particular transgender identity.

(3) Conduct which—

• (a) is carried out by a person towards an individual with such an intention, but
• (b) is carried out in the course of providing health care services to the individual concerned,

is not a conversion practice unless the person acts in a way that falls far below the standards reasonably expected of a person in their position.

(4) Subsections (5) and (6) apply for determining whether conduct involved in a conversion practice carried out on an individual amounts to an abuse of the individual (and so is an “abusive conversion practice”).

(5) The question whether conduct amounts to an abuse of the individual is a question of fact to be determined by reference to all the circumstances of the case, including in particular the nature of the conduct.

(6) In assessing the nature of the conduct, consideration is to be given (among other things) to the question whether it involves any of the following—

• (a) words or behaviour of a sexual nature;
• (b) violent or threatening words or behaviour;
• (c) controlling or coercive words or behaviour;
• (d) use of economic pressure;
• (e) use of psychological or emotional pressure.

(7) “Sexual orientation” has the same meaning as in Equality Act 2010 (see section 12(1)).

(8) The circumstances in which an individual has a transgender identity include (but are not limited to) where—

• (a) the individual is undergoing, is proposing to undergo or has undergone a process of gender reassignment,
• (b) the individual is transsexual,
• (c) the individual identifies as neither male nor female or as not solely male or female.

(9) In subsection (3) “health care services” means—

• (a) all forms of health care services provided for individuals, whether relating to physical or mental health, and
• (b) procedures that are similar to forms of medical or surgical care but are not provided in connection with a medical condition.

2. Offence of carrying out an abusive conversion practice on an individual

(1) A person commits an offence if the person carries out an abusive conversion practice on an individual which causes—

• (a) serious harm to the individual’s physical or mental health, or
• (b) serious alarm or distress to the individual which has a substantial adverse effect on their usual day-to-day activities.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

• (a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court, to a fine or to both;
• (b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years, to a fine or to both.

3. Offence of encouraging or assisting an abusive conversion practice performed outside England and Wales

(1) A United Kingdom person commits an offence if —

• (a) the person carries out conduct in England and Wales that is capable of encouraging or assisting the carrying out by another person, outside England and Wales, of an abusive conversion practice on a United Kingdom individual which is likely to cause—
  • (i) serious harm to the individual’s physical or mental health, or
  • (ii) serious alarm or distress to the individual which has a substantial adverse effect on their usual day-to-day activities; and
• (b) the person intends to encourage or assist the carrying out of an abusive conversion practice on the individual.

(2) A person is not to be taken to have intended to encourage or assist the carrying out of an abusive conversion practice on an individual merely because it was a foreseeable consequence of the conduct in question that it would encourage or assist the performance of such a practice.

(3) An offence under this section may be committed whether or not a conversion practice is in fact carried out, outside England and Wales, on a qualifying individual.

(4) In this section—

• (a) “United Kingdom person” means a United Kingdom individual or a body incorporated or constituted under the law of any part of the United Kingdom;
• (b) “United Kingdom individual” means an individual who is a United Kingdom national or is habitually resident in the United Kingdom.

(5) In subsection (4)(b), “United Kingdom national” means an individual who is—

• (a) a British citizen, a British overseas territories citizen, a British National (Overseas) or a British Overseas citizen,
• (b) a person who under the British Nationality Act 1981 is a British subject, or
• (c) a British protected person within the meaning of that Act.

(6) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

• (a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court, to a fine or to both;
• (b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years, to a fine or to both.

4. Conversion practice protection orders

The Schedule to this Act makes provision about conversion practice protection orders.

5. Offences by bodies corporate and unincorporated bodies

(1) This section applies if an offence under this Act is committed by a body within subsection (3).

(2) If a person who is, or is purporting to act as, a relevant officer of the body authorises or permits, participates in, or fails to take all reasonable steps to prevent the commission of the offence, that person also commits the offence.

(3) The bodies within this subsection are those specified in the first column of the following table; and “relevant officer”, in relation to such a body, means a person acting in a capacity specified in the corresponding entry in the second column.

Body	“Relevant officer”
A company.	A director, manager, secretary or similar officer.
A partnership.	A partner.
A body corporate (other than a company) or unincorporated body whose affairs are managed by a governing body.	A member of the governing body.
A body corporate (other than a company) or unincorporated body whose affairs are managed by its members.	A member.

6. Short title, extent and commencement

(1) This Act may be cited as the Conversion Practices Act 2026.

(2) This Act extends to England and Wales only.

(3) This Act comes into force at the end of the period of two months beginning with the day on which it is passed.

Schedule: Conversion practice protection orders

Power to make conversion practice protection orders

1 

(1) The court may make an order (a “conversion practice protection order”) for the purposes of—

• (a) protecting an individual against abusive conversion practices (whether performed in England and Wales or elsewhere) that are likely to cause—
  • (i) serious harm to the individual’s physical or mental health, or
  • (ii) serious alarm or distress to the individual which has a substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities
• (b) protecting the victim of an offence under section 2 or 3 which has already been (or is being) committed.

(2) In deciding whether to exercise its powers under this paragraph and, if so, in what manner, the court must have regard to all the circumstances, including the need to secure the health, safety and well-being of the individual to be protected.

(3) A conversion practice protection order may contain—

• (a) such prohibitions, restrictions or requirements, and
• (b) such other terms,

as the court considers appropriate for the purposes of the order.

(4) The terms of a conversion practice protection order may relate to conduct outside England and Wales as well as (or instead of) conduct within England and Wales.

(5) The order must specify the period for which it will be in force.

Applications and other occasions for making orders

2 

(1) The court may make a conversion practice protection order—

• (a) on an application being made to it, or
• (b) without an application being made to it but in the circumstances mentioned in sub-paragraph (5).

(2) An application may be made by—

• (a) the individual who is to be protected by the order,
• (b) a chief officer of police, or
• (c) a local authority.

(3) An application may be made by any other person with the leave of the court.

(4) In deciding whether to grant leave, the court must have regard to all the circumstances including—

• (a) the applicant’s connection with the individual to be protected;
• (b) the applicant’s knowledge of the circumstances of the individual.

(5) The circumstances in which the court may make an order without an application being made are where—

• (a) any other family proceedings are before the court (“the current proceedings”),
• (b) the court considers that a conversion practice protection order should be made to protect an individual (whether or not a party to the current proceedings), and
• (c) a person who would be a respondent to any proceedings for a conversion practice protection order is a party to the current proceedings.

(6) In  this paragraph—

“chief officer of police” means—

• (a) the chief constable of a police force maintained under section 2 of the Police Act 1996 (police forces in England and Wales outside London);
• (b) the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis;
• (c) the Commissioner of Police for the City of London;
• (d) the chief constable of the British Transport Police;
• (e) the chief constable of the Ministry of Defence Police; 

“family proceedings” means—

• (a) proceedings in the family court, or
• (b) proceedings in the Family Division of the High Court which are business assigned, by or under section 61 of (and Schedule 1 to) the Senior Courts Act 1981, to that Division of the High Court and no other;

“local authority” means—

• (a) a county council;
• (b) a metropolitan district council;
• (c) a non-metropolitan district council for an area for which there is no county council;
• (d) a London borough council;
• (e) the Common Council of the City of London (in their capacity as a local authority);
• (f) a county borough council.

Power to make order in criminal proceedings

3 

The court before which there are criminal proceedings in England and Wales for a conversion practice offence may make a conversion practice protection order (without an application being made to it) if—

• (a) the court considers that a conversion practice protection order should be made to protect an individual (whether or not the victim of the offence in relation to the criminal proceedings), and
• (b) a person who would be a respondent to any proceedings for a conversion practice protection order is a defendant in the criminal proceedings.

Orders without notice

4

(1) The court may, in any case where it is just and convenient to do so, make a conversion practice protection order even though the respondent has not been given such notice of the proceedings as would otherwise be required by rules of court.

(2) In deciding whether to exercise its powers under sub-paragraph (1) the court must have regard to all the circumstances including—

• (a) the risk to the individual to be protected, or to another individual, of becoming the victim of an abusive conversion practice likely to cause serious harm, alarm or distress, if the order is not made immediately,
• (b) whether it is likely that an applicant will be deterred or prevented from pursuing an application if an order is not made immediately, and
• (c) whether there is reason to believe that—
  • (i) the respondent is aware of the proceedings but is deliberately evading service, and
  • (ii) the delay involved in effecting substituted service will cause serious prejudice to the individual to be protected or (if different) an applicant.

(3) The court must give the respondent an opportunity to make representations about an order made by virtue of sub-paragraph (1).

(4) The opportunity must be—

• (a) as soon as just and convenient, and
• (b) at a hearing of which notice has been given to all the parties in accordance with rules of court.

Variation and discharge of orders

5

(1) The court may vary or discharge a conversion practice protection order on an application by—

• (a) any party to the proceedings for the order or, in the case of an order made in criminal proceedings, the prosecution or defendant,
• (b) the individual being protected by the order (if not a party to the proceedings for the order), or
• (c) any person affected by the order.

(2) In addition, the court may vary or discharge a conversion practice protection order made by virtue of paragraph 2(1)(b) even though no application under sub-paragraph (1) has been made.

(3) Paragraph 4 applies to a variation of a conversion practice protection order as it applies to the making of such an order (and references in that paragraph to the making of a conversion practice protection order are to be read accordingly).

Appeals

6

(1) A person listed in sub-paragraph (2) may appeal against any decision of the court on an application for a conversion practice protection order under paragraph 2 (to the extent that it would not otherwise be so appealable).

(2) The listed persons for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) are—

• (a) the individual for whose protection the order was sought,
• (b) (if a different person) the person who applied for the order, and
• (c) where the court made a conversion practice protection order under paragraph 2(1)(a) the person against whom it was made.

(3) A person against whom a conversion practice protection order is made under paragraph 2(1)(b) may appeal against the making of the order (to the extent it would not otherwise be so appealable).

(4) A person listed in sub-paragraph (5) may appeal against any decision of the court under paragraph 6 in relation to a conversion practice protection order (to the extent it would not otherwise be so appealable).

(5) The listed persons for the purposes of sub-paragraph (4) are—

• (a) any party to the proceedings for the order or, in the case of an order made in criminal proceedings, the prosecution or defendant, and
• (b) the individual being protected by the order (if not a party to the proceedings for the order).

(6) An appeal arising under this paragraph—

• (a) in the case of a decision made by a magistrates’ court, is to be made to the Crown Court;
• (b) in the case of a decision made by the Crown Court, is to be made to the Court of Appeal.

For the powers of the Crown Court or Court of Appeal on such an appeal, see paragraph 7.

(7) If, in the case of an appeal arising under this paragraph in respect of a decision made by the family court or the High Court, the person making the appeal was not a party to the proceedings in that court, the person is to be treated for the purposes of that appeal as if the person had been a party to those proceedings.

(8) For further provision about appeals, see (in particular)—

• (a) section 31K of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 (appeals from the family court),
• (b) section 16(1) of the Senior Courts Act 1981 (appeals from the High Court),
• (c) section 77 of the County Courts Act 1984 (appeals from the county court),
• (d) section 108(3) of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 (appeals against orders made on conviction in a magistrates’ court),
• (e) section 50(1) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 (appeals against orders made on conviction in the Crown Court), and
• (f) rules of court.

Further provision about appeals

7

(1) Sub-paragraph (2) applies to—

• (a) an appeal made to the Crown Court by virtue of paragraph 4(1);
• (b) an appeal made to the Court of Appeal by virtue of paragraph 5(6)(b).

(2) On such an appeal the Crown Court or the Court of Appeal (as the case may be) may, on a review of the decision appealed against—

• (a) confirm, vary or revoke any part of the decision;
• (b) refer the matter back to the court that made the decision with a direction to reconsider and make a new decision in accordance with its ruling;
• (c) make any order which the court that made the decision appealed against could have made;
• (d) make any incidental or consequential orders that appear to it to be just.

Arrest under warrant

8

(1) An interested party may apply to the relevant judge for the issue of a warrant for the arrest of a person if the interested party considers that the person has failed to comply with a conversion practice protection order or is otherwise in contempt of court in relation to such an order.

(2) The relevant judge must not issue a warrant on an application under sub-paragraph (1) unless—

• (a) the application is substantiated on oath, and
• (b) the relevant judge has reasonable grounds for believing that the person to be arrested has failed to comply with the order or is otherwise in contempt of court in relation to the order.

(3) In this paragraph “interested party”, in relation to a conversion practice protection order, means—

• (a) the individual being protected by the order,
• (b) (if a different person) the person who applied for the order, or
• (c) any other person with the leave of the relevant judge.

Offence of breaching order

9

(1) A person who is the subject of a conversion practice order commits an offence if the person, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with the order.

(2) In the case of a conversion practice protection order made by virtue of paragraph 3(1), a person can be guilty of an offence under this paragraph only in respect of conduct at a time when the person was aware of the existence of the order.

(3) Where a person is convicted of an offence under this paragraph in respect of any conduct, the conduct is not punishable as a contempt of court.

(4) A person cannot be convicted of an offence under this paragraph in respect of any conduct which has been punished as a contempt of court.

(5) A person guilty of an offence under this paragraph is liable—

• (a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court, to a fine or to both;
• (b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years, to a fine or to both.

Contempt proceedings

10

The powers of the court in relation to contempt of court arising out of a person’s failure to comply with a conversion practice protection order, or otherwise in connection with such an order, may be exercised by the relevant judge.

Consequential amendment

11

In paragraph 3 of schedule 1 to the Senior Courts Act 1981 (matters assigned to the Family Division of the High Court), after sub-paragraph (ha) insert—

“(hb) all proceedings under the Schedule to the Conversion Practices Act 2026;”.

Interpretation

12

In this Schedule—

“conversion practice protection order” means an order made under paragraph 1(1);

“the court” means—

• (a) where the power to make a conversion practice protection order is exercisable under paragraph 1, the High Court or the family court;
• (b) where the power to make a conversion practice protection order is exercisable by a court in criminal proceedings under paragraph 2, that court;

“relevant judge”, in relation to a conversion practice protection order, means—

• (a) where the order was made by the High Court, a judge of that court;
• (b) where the order was made by the family court, a judge of that court;
• (c) where the order was made by a court in criminal proceedings under paragraph 2 —
  • (i) a judge of that court (which includes, in the case of criminal proceedings in a magistrates’ court, a justice of the peace), or
  • (ii) a judge of the High Court or of the family court.