Politics · United Kingdom · 4 hrs ago
Conversion Practices Bill could cost £100m over a decade
Labour’s Conversion Practices Bill would ban abusive attempts to change someone’s sexuality or gender identity in England and Wales.
The government estimates that the law could cost businesses and taxpayers up to £100 million over 10 years, including staff training.
The estimate does not yet include the costs of police, courts and prisons enforcing the law.
The government projects £783 million in benefits over the same period, mainly because fewer people would experience depression linked to conversion practices.
The assessment says evidence about how common these practices are is limited, and estimates rely heavily on self-selected survey responses.
Critics dispute both the costs and projected benefits, while the assessment says the law is expected to have a negative impact on businesses.
The Conversion Practices Bill could cost businesses and taxpayers as much as £100 million over a decade, according to government figures reported by the Daily Mail.
The government’s impact assessment estimates the legislation could bring a £783 million benefit to society over 10 years by reducing depression linked to conversion practices.
The assessment estimates that 75,000 to 93,000 people a year in England and Wales experience conversion practices.
It says evidence about conversion practices is limited and that incidents are not captured in official statistics.
Critics say the projected benefits and costs are unreliable and warn the legislation could have harmful effects on families.
- Who
- The UK government’s Conversion Practices Bill concerns people subjected to attempts to change their sexuality or gender identity. Critics include Maya Forstater of Sex Matters and Shadow Equalities Minister Joy Morrissey.
- What
- The bill would outlaw abusive conversion practices. Its impact assessment estimates costs and potential benefits over 10 years.
- When
- The article was published on 5 November 2026.
- Where
- The estimates concern England and Wales.
- Why
- The bill aims to reduce conversion practices and the depression associated with them, according to the impact assessment.
Government impact assessment
Critics
Projected effects
Government impact assessment
The assessment estimates a £783 million benefit to society over 10 years, chiefly from reduced depression among people affected by conversion practices.
Critics
Maya Forstater called the benefit estimate “pure fantasy based on shaky evidence” and said the costs were grossly underestimated.
Costs and evidence
Government impact assessment
The assessment estimates costs of up to £100 million over a decade and says the evidence base is limited.
Critics
Forstater said major costs had not been counted; Joy Morrissey objected to imposing more than £100 million in costs on businesses and taxpayers.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Estimated cost
- As much as £100 million over a decade
- Estimated societal benefit
- £783 million over 10 years
- Estimated affected people
- 75,000 to 93,000 a year in England and Wales
- Taxpayer costs
- £45.8 million for staff training across listed public services
- Victim Support Service
- £240,000 over three years
What people are saying
The idea that the conversion practices bill could contribute nearly £800m to the economy is pure fantasy based on shaky evidence, while the cost of the bill has been grossly underestimated.
At a time when businesses across the country are already feeling the pinch from Labour's disastrous economic policies, it would be wrong to impose more than £100 million in additional costs through this draft legislation.
The overall impact on businesses from these measures is likely to be negative.
We expect that the number of people experiencing depression as a result of conversion practices on the basis of sexual orientation and/or transgender identity will be reduced with this option. Our estimate of the 10-year net present value of this benefit is £783 million.