8 Things we learned from new Single-Sex Toilet Guidelines

Under new laws that take effect later this year, providing single-sex toilets in all New Restaurants and Offices will become compulsory.

Building Regulations will be amended to require, and here's eight things we learned:

1. All New Office Buildings and Restaurants or existing Buildings that change use must provide separate Toilets for Women and Men
2. Gender-neutral or Unisex toilets may be provided in addition to single-sex toilets if space allows them and only after Single-sex Toilets have been provided.
3. Existing buildings are not affected.
4. Domestic buildings are not affected.
5. Changes will apply in England Only.
6. There are exemptions - residential homes, en-suite facilities in individual rooms for residential purposes, residential rooms in care homes, and premises used wholly or mainly for early years provision, schools and cellular accommodation in custodial facilities will not be required to provide single-sex Toilet Facilities.
7. Universal Toilets, or self-contained, private toilets, are fully enclosed toilet rooms with wash-hand basins for individual use.
8. While colleges are not subject to the same requirements, they should take the same approach, given that the same safeguarding considerations apply.

Secretary of State for Business and Trade Kemi Badenoch says, "These regulations will guide organisations to design unisex and single-sex toilets, ending the rise of so-called “gender-neutral” mixed sex toilet spaces, which deny privacy and dignity to both men and women."

Source: Gov.uk

Changes to building regulations will require new non-domestic buildings, including restaurants, shopping centres, offices, and public toilets, to provide separate single-sex toilets for women and men. Self-contained, universal toilets may be provided in addition where space allows or instead of single-sex toilets where there isn’t enough space.

In addition, the Department for Education reinforced that schools must comply with minimum standards, including that separate toilets for boys and girls aged 8 years and over are to be provided. While colleges are not subject to the same legal requirements, they should take the same approach given the same safeguarding considerations apply.

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