The UK Cabinet Office has declined to release draft guidance for civil servants regarding the treatment of transgender employees, prompting concerns about whether the rules adequately protect women’s rights. The proposed policy, circulated to government departments in May, outlines protocols for the use of single-sex facilities by transgender staff but has not been made publicly available.

Officials cited concerns that ministers and civil servants might be uncomfortable sharing their views if the document were released, limiting transparency around the guidance. The refusal has drawn criticism from opposition figures, including Claire Coutinho, the Conservative shadow minister for women and equalities, who accused the Labour government of avoiding scrutiny on the issue.

The guidance follows a Supreme Court ruling issued in April 2025, which clarified that a gender recognition certificate (GRC) does not change a person’s legal sex in relation to access to single-sex spaces. This ruling compelled public sector organisations to strengthen protections for such spaces.

According to leaked documents that appeared on social media and were marked “sensitive,” the policy would restrict transgender civil servants from using toilets corresponding to their affirmed gender when these are designated as single-sex facilities. The draft states that despite a GRC changing legal status in some respects, it does not alter one’s sex for accessing single-sex spaces. It also advises employees with questions about facility use to consult their line managers.

Coutinho emphasized the importance of transparency, saying taxpayers deserve to know whether government departments are upholding women’s sex-based rights in line with the law. She expressed concern that the current lack of disclosure suggested the government was “running scared” of accountability.

The issue reflects wider tensions in public sector responses to transgender rights. In June, reports indicated that some NHS Trusts and ambulance services continued to allow transgender patients to access female-only wards, contrary to the Supreme Court’s decision. This divergence highlights ongoing debate about how best to balance transgender rights with protections for single-sex spaces in public institutions.

A Cabinet Office spokesperson stated that the policy remains under development and thus has not been published, to allow for open discussion without external pressures. They added that individual departments are expected to update their human resources policies in accordance with the guidance once finalised.