Government-funded Scottish 'conversion therapy' helpline only took four calls in 3 months

A Scottish ‘conversion therapy’ helpline, which has received almost £230,000 from the Scottish Government since 2024, only took four calls in a three-month period, leading to it being dubbed ‘Scotland’s most expensive helpline’.

LGBT Health and Wellbeing was awarded a number of government grants to operate the service, totalling £227,386 in two years. It also received £86,537 from councils. However, between October and December last year, it only took four calls. It is unknown whether these were from multiple individuals.

The group defines conversion therapy as “harmful methods that try to change or suppress your sexual orientation or gender identity”.

Susan Smith, a representative of For Women Scotland, commented: “As violence against women spirals and women’s services are on their knees, many will be horrified that so much funding is being earmarked to support what seems is a non existent problem. An honest service and an honest government would admit that lack of take up indicates that there is no point in wasting time and capital on ‘solving’ this non-issue. They would focus on the pressing needs which face the people of Scotland.”

The story has emerged just a few weeks after the UK Government published its Draft Conversion Practices Bill, which will potentially criminalise ‘abusive’ practices around sexuality and gender that cause distress to individuals. A number of organisations have warned this language is very vague, and may end up criminalising parents, youth-workers and Church leaders for regular pastoral conversations.

LGBT Health and Wellbeing, who have received criticism in the past for running workshops which help biological males who identify as women to breastfeed babies, are campaigning for the Scottish Government to introduce its own Conversion Therapy legislation, claiming that what is being debated in Westminster does not go far enough.

Joanna Timm, of the Christian Institute, which obtained the grant-figures under FOI laws, said, “These figures expose an extraordinary misuse of public money, Scottish taxpayers have funded what may well be Scotland’s most expensive helpline. Existing criminal law already deals with abusive and coercive behaviour. The kind of law LGBT Health and Wellbeing are demanding would redefine ordinary parenting, pastoral care and prayer as conversion therapy.

“Taxpayers should not be forced to bankroll an organisation that promotes controversial gender ideology while campaigning for a law that could criminalise ordinary conversations between parents and children, or ministers and members of their congregations.”

In response to the story, the SNP Minister for Equalities, Simita Kumar, declared: “We are absolutely committed to ending conversion practices in Scotland and working to ensure those who experience these abusive practices can access the support they need.”