Lloyds to offer gender reassignment surgery


Lloyds Banking Group has become the first UK organisation to extend its staff healthcare plans to cover gender dysphoria, in a move that campaign groups say more employers should emulate.


Staff at Lloyds, including those working for Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Scottish Widows, can now access gender reassignment surgery through their company health insurance policy.


A Lloyds spokesperson said: "The health and wellbeing of all our colleagues is of utmost importance to the group, and we are committed to providing them with increasing and inclusive support."


While the banking group estimates that 830 staff in the UK do not conform to gender binaries, it said it expects that around 20 staff members will initially take up the offer.


A spokesperson from LGBT campaign group Stonewall said: "We know that not all trans people desire reassignment surgery, but there are many who do. Lloyds’ move to introduce gender reassignment surgery into its healthcare provision sends a clear message that the firm fully supports trans equality and its trans members of staff."


www.cipd.co.uk/pm/peoplemanagement/b/weblog/archive/2016/05/09/lloyds-extends-healthcare-to-cover-gender-reassignment.aspx