Trans and non-binary community and support in London: groups, clinics and the law

How this guide was put together

This guide is for trans, non-binary and gender-questioning people in London, and for the partners, friends and dates who want to know where support is. It lists charities, peer groups, NHS and trans-led clinics, helplines and the legal basics. It is a signpost, not medical or legal advice, and nothing in it replaces 999 if someone is in immediate danger.

Everything below was read from each organisation's own pages, or from NHS, GOV.UK and Supreme Court pages, on 27 October 2026. A helpline number appears only where the organisation's own page states its hours, and those hours are given as the page words them. Where a page gave no time or venue, we say so instead of filling the gap. One-off dates are left out because they go stale within weeks; a regular pattern is given only where the organiser states one, so check each calendar before you travel.

Some organisations that often appear in older directories are left out because we could not read their current pages. Trans+ Pride London's old web address did not resolve when we checked, and the Beaumont Society's site returned a security certificate error, so neither is described here. Switchboard's site blocked automated reading, so its helpline is not listed with hours; its own site is the place to check.

Community groups for adults

London Friend is an LGBTQ+ charity at 86 Caledonian Road, a short walk from King's Cross. It describes T-Tuesday as its social support group for trans and non-binary people or anyone questioning their gender; calendar entries run from 7pm to 9pm, and the dates are on its monthly calendar. The same building hosts other groups that are open to trans and non-binary people, including a drop-in café for all LGBT people from 11am to 1pm, Pink Ink, a creative writing group that the charity says meets on the second and fourth Thursday of every month from 7pm to 9pm with no need to book, and an LGBTQ+ women's craft and social night that is also open to non-binary people with an identity in a community centred on women. London Friend also offers 12 weeks of one-to-one counselling for LGBTIQ people and for people questioning their gender identity; its page says you refer yourself by email, and that because of a waiting list it may be several weeks before you are offered an initial assessment.

Gendered Intelligence's services page lists several groups for adults. Waiting List Warriors is an online support group for people waiting for gender-affirmative healthcare, and the charity also lists voice workshops for adults in the same position. Its Over 50s Transfem Group is an online support group for trans women and transfeminine people over 50. A support line is described as direct support by email, WhatsApp or phone for people waiting for gender-affirmative healthcare; the services page does not state its hours, so no number is given here. Gendered Intelligence also runs The Trans Dimension, which it describes as trans-friendly events listings in London, and a directory of trans-friendly therapists and counsellors.

Not A Phase describes itself as a trans-led, nationwide charity for trans+ adults. Its home page lists Trans+Connect, free fortnightly online peer support groups, along with free fitness and self-defence classes under the Misfits name and in-person socials. Its contact address is in Margate rather than London and the home page gave no London dates, so its calendar is the place to check what is near you.

Spectra, based at China Works on Black Prince Road, SE1, says it provides free and confidential services across London, including STI and HIV testing, counselling and peer support groups; its calendar lists online Non-Binary and Transgender groups in the early evening. LGBT HERO, a national LGBTQ+ health charity, lists Trans+ HangOuts among its online groups; its events page holds the dates.

• London FriendLGBTQ+ charity and group venue

  86 Caledonian Road, N1 · Nearest: King's Cross St Pancras

  T-Tuesday for trans and non-binary people and anyone questioning their gender, 7pm to 9pm on dates in its monthly calendar; LGBTQ+ drop-in café 11am to 1pm; self-referral counselling by email.

• Gendered IntelligenceTrans led charity

  London and online

  London youth groups for ages 8 to 25, TPOCalypse for ages 13 to 25, online groups for adults waiting for care, an online over-50s transfem group, and a monthly forum for families.

• Not A PhaseTrans led charity for adults

  UK-wide, online

  Free fortnightly online peer support groups called Trans+Connect, plus fitness classes and socials; check its calendar for anything in London.

• SpectraSexual health and wellbeing organisation

  China Works, 101 Black Prince Road, SE1

  Free, confidential testing, counselling and peer support; online non-binary and transgender groups on its calendar.

Young people and families

Gendered Intelligence's services page lists in-person London youth groups for ages 8 to 25, online youth groups for the same ages, swimming sessions for young people in London, and TPOCalypse, London groups and trips for trans, non-binary and gender-questioning Black people and people of colour aged 13 to 25. It also lists an annual summer camp for ages 11 to 17 and 16 to 25, residentials, and in-person trips to Pride events for young people and their families. For parents, carers and other adult relatives of young trans and non-binary people, it lists a monthly forum that meets online and in person.

Mermaids says it has supported trans, non-binary and gender-diverse children, young people and their families since 1995, and has a section of its site for over-18s. Its helpline is 0808 801 0400, listed as open Monday and Wednesday 10:30am to 6pm and Tuesday and Thursday 1pm to 8:30pm, with a note that bank holiday times may vary. Chat with the same support line team is offered on the site.

For under-18s, the NHS page on gender dysphoria says a GP can refer a young person to a paediatrician or to children and young people's mental health services, and that the NHS children and young people's gender service also takes referrals. Adults are covered in the next section.

• MermaidsCharity for young people and families

  UK-wide

  Helpline 0808 801 0400, Monday and Wednesday 10:30am to 6pm, Tuesday and Thursday 1pm to 8:30pm; bank holiday times may vary.

Health care: NHS gender services and trans-led clinics

For adults, the NHS page on gender dysphoria says that if you are 18 or over, a GP can refer you to the adult gender referral support service for an assessment at an NHS gender dysphoria clinic. It describes waits for assessment as currently very long, says most clinics state their expected wait on their website, and suggests speaking to a GP about support while you wait. Adults can refer themselves to NHS Talking Therapies for depression or anxiety. The NHS lists hormone therapy, voice and communication therapy, talking therapy and surgery among the treatments, notes that some treatments can affect fertility and that you can be referred to a fertility service, and strongly advises against using treatment that has not been prescribed to you. Private clinics have shorter waits, but you pay for treatment.

56 Dean Street, the NHS sexual health clinic in Soho, runs a dedicated service called 56T, which its page describes as designed for people who prefer a dedicated space. It runs every Wednesday from 4:30pm to 7pm on level 2, by appointment only. The page lists hormone testing every 12 weeks, administering hormone injections if you bring a UK prescription from a GMC-registered practitioner, sexual health screening, PrEP and PEP, contraception, hepatitis B and HPV vaccines, and health adviser support. It also lists a trans and non-binary cervical screening clinic on Tuesdays from 4pm to 7pm and a hormone injection clinic on Fridays from 9am to 11:30am. Booking is online or by phone through the options on the page. A separate service, TransPlus, is described as the first integrated gender, sexual health and HIV service commissioned by NHS England; the page lists assessment and diagnosis of gender dysphoria, hormone prescriptions, voice therapy and surgery referrals, and links to its eligibility criteria.

CliniQ describes itself as a trans-led sexual health service in London for trans, non-binary and gender-diverse people, and says it was the first such service in the UK and Europe. It lists STI and HIV testing, PrEP and PEP and mental wellbeing support at the Caldecot Centre, 15 to 22 Caldecot Road, SE5, near Denmark Hill station. The clinic runs on Tuesdays from 4pm, but its pages gave two closing times, 6:30pm and 7pm, so email admin@cliniq.org.uk before you go. The site says CliniQ is a community interest company that is only partly funded and relies on donations, and its news list includes an item headed "Our services are moving!", another reason to email before you go.

TransActual, a community interest company, publishes guides on NHS care, including what to do when a GP will not prescribe hormones despite a letter from an NHS gender clinic, bridging prescriptions and updating medical records. Its pages are a useful second opinion before a difficult appointment, but they are information, not a clinical service.

• 56T at 56 Dean StreetNHS sexual health clinic, trans and non binary service

  Soho, W1D · Nearest: Leicester Square

  Every Wednesday 4:30pm to 7pm on level 2, by appointment only; cervical screening Tuesdays 4pm to 7pm; hormone injection clinic Fridays 9am to 11:30am.

• CliniQTrans led sexual health service

  Caldecot Centre, 15-22 Caldecot Road, SE5 · Nearest: Denmark Hill

  Tuesdays from 4pm, closing time given as 6:30pm or 7pm on different pages; STI and HIV testing, PrEP, PEP and wellbeing support.

Helplines and reporting abuse

Galop is the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity. Its national helpline for LGBTQ+ people aged 18 or over who are experiencing or have experienced abuse or violence is 0800 999 5428, free to call. Its page lists Monday and Tuesday 9:15am to 8pm and Wednesday to Friday 9:15am to 4:30pm, closed at weekends and from 1pm to 2pm every day, and closing at 3:30pm on the first Thursday of each month. Webchat is listed for Wednesday and Thursday 9:15am to 4:15pm, with Monday and Tuesday webchat closed until further notice because of staffing. Galop's site lists hate crime among the types of abuse it covers.

For young people and their families, Mermaids' helpline is listed in the section above. Gendered Intelligence's support line is for people waiting for gender-affirmative care, by email, WhatsApp or phone; its contact details are on its services page.

If you are worried about your own safety on a date or after one, our first-date safety guide covers the practical side. If a crime is happening or someone is in immediate danger, call 999.

• Galop National HelplineHelpline

  UK-wide

  0800 999 5428, Monday and Tuesday 9:15am to 8pm, Wednesday to Friday 9:15am to 4:30pm, closed weekends and 1pm to 2pm daily, closing 3:30pm on the first Thursday of each month; for ages 18 and over.

The law: the Supreme Court ruling and what still protects you

On 16 April 2025 the UK Supreme Court gave judgment in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers, [2025] UKSC 16. The court held that the terms sex, man and woman in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological sex, not certificated sex. In practice, for the purposes of the Act, a trans woman with a full Gender Recognition Certificate is not treated as a woman. The ruling interprets the Equality Act; it does not repeal the Gender Recognition Act 2004.

TransActual's rights page quotes the court, at paragraph 264, as saying its reading does not remove the important protections the Act gives trans people, with or without a certificate. Gender reassignment remains one of the protected characteristics GOV.UK lists, alongside sexual orientation, and the Act protects people at work, in education, as consumers, when using public services, when renting or buying property and in clubs and associations. TransActual's rights page says protection on the ground of gender reassignment generally applies whether or not you have a certificate, and can apply if you have not medically transitioned. It also says the Equality and Human Rights Commission has published an updated 2026 Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations following the judgment, and that service providers can in some situations lawfully exclude trans people from a legitimate single-sex or separate-sex service, with lawfulness depending on the facts. How single-sex spaces and services are now run is contested and still changing, so if you face a specific problem, get advice from a qualified adviser rather than relying on a summary.

A Gender Recognition Certificate is a separate thing from the Equality Act. GOV.UK says the Supreme Court ruling does not affect the current process for applying. You can apply if you are 18 or over, have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria in the UK, have lived in your affirmed gender for at least two years and intend to for the rest of your life; surgery is not required. Recognition is only as male or female, because non-binary genders are not legally recognised in the UK. The fee is £6, with help available if you are on benefits or a low income; it is not refunded if you are unsuccessful, and documents usually cost extra. The panel will usually look at your application within 22 weeks and may ask for more information. If you are married or in a civil partnership and want to stay so, your spouse or partner must sign a document; otherwise you receive an interim certificate, which can only be used to end the marriage or civil partnership. GOV.UK advises changing your name before applying, because the name on the certificate cannot be updated afterwards. The Gender Recognition Panel's enquiry line is 0300 303 5857, listed as Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm.

Dating and meeting people as a trans or non-binary Londoner

Most of the groups above are support or peer groups, not dating events, and they work best treated that way. A regular group gives you a room of people who already understand the basics, and friendships made there are often how people meet partners. If you would rather meet people around an activity, our guide to LGBTQ+ sports clubs and social groups, and the one on meeting LGBTQ+ people without the apps, list further options across London.

If you are dating someone trans or non-binary and want to understand more, Gendered Intelligence's therapist directory includes counsellors for partners, and its family forum is for adult relatives of young people. Asking your date how they would like to be referred to, and then simply doing it, is a better start than reading up on them.

On any first date, the general rules still apply: meet somewhere public, tell a friend where you are, and get yourself home on your own terms. Our first-date safety checklist goes through it.

Before you go

• Check the group's own calendar on the day; London Friend and Spectra list dates month by month, and they move.
• For 56T, book ahead: it runs by appointment only on Wednesday evenings.
• Email CliniQ before travelling, because its pages give two different Tuesday closing times.
• If you are waiting for NHS gender care, ask your GP about support in the meantime, as the NHS suggests.
• For a legal problem after the Supreme Court ruling, get advice on your own situation rather than relying on a general guide.

Questions people ask

How do I get an NHS gender clinic referral in London?

If you are 18 or over, the NHS says a GP can refer you to the adult gender referral support service for an assessment at an NHS gender dysphoria clinic. Waits are described as very long. Under-18s are referred through a GP to a paediatrician or children and young people's mental health services, or to the NHS children and young people's gender service.

What did the April 2025 Supreme Court ruling decide?

In For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers, decided on 16 April 2025, the court held that sex, man and woman in the Equality Act 2010 mean biological sex. Gender reassignment remains a protected characteristic, and the court said its reading does not remove important protections for trans people. Service providers can in some situations lawfully exclude trans people from single-sex services. For a specific situation, get qualified advice.

Is there a trans sexual health clinic in London?

Yes. 56 Dean Street runs 56T every Wednesday from 4:30pm to 7pm, by appointment only, and CliniQ is a trans-led service on Tuesdays from 4pm at the Caldecot Centre in Camberwell. Spectra also offers free testing and runs online trans and non-binary groups.

Can I get a Gender Recognition Certificate as non-binary?

No. GOV.UK says you can only apply to be recognised as male or female, and that non-binary genders are not legally recognised. You also need a gender dysphoria diagnosis and two years living in your affirmed gender. The fee is £6, and the panel usually looks at an application within 22 weeks.

Where can a parent of a trans young person get support?

Mermaids runs a helpline for young people and families on 0808 801 0400, Monday and Wednesday 10:30am to 6pm and Tuesday and Thursday 1pm to 8:30pm. Gendered Intelligence lists a monthly forum, online and in person, for parents, carers and adult relatives.