For the first time, Scotland's census has provided detailed information about the LGBT community, identifying more than 180,000 people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, and nearly 20,000 people who identify as transgender.

Key findings include:

  • 183,860 individuals, or approximately 4.0% of the population aged 16 and older, identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual.

  • 19,990 individuals, or 0.44% of the population aged 16 and older, identify as transgender.

  • Nearly half of transgender individuals (46%) identify as non-binary, with almost half aged between 16 and 24.

  • Within the LGB community, around 43.6% identify as bisexual, with a significant proportion being young adults aged 16 to 24.

  • 80,104 people identified as gay or lesbian, and 23,500 as having another sexual orientation, including pansexual, asexual, and queer. Over a third (35.6%) in this category did not specify their orientation.

This census marks a departure from the 2011 census, which did not include questions about sexuality due to concerns over accuracy and readiness. The data aims to inform better services and equality monitoring.

Jon Wroth-Smith, Director of Census Statistics, highlighted the importance of this data for planning and improving services for the LGBT community in Scotland.

Comparatively, Scotland's figures show a higher percentage of LGB individuals than England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, where the percentages are 3.2% and 2.1%, respectively.