Blackburn with Darwen, the Ribble Valley and Pendle have some of the lowest numbers of people in the country aged 16 and over identifying as LGB+ (gay or lesbian, bisexual or other sexual orientation).

For the first time ever, figures on sexual orientation and gender identity have been included in the national census, which was carried out in 2021, with people aged 16 and over asked to provide this information on a voluntary basis.

Some 1.5 million people in England and Wales identified with an LGB+ sexual orientation in the 2021 census – 3.2 per cent of those were aged 16 and over, figures show.

Data from the 2021 census for England and Wales is being published in stages over two years.

Overall, 45.7 million (94.0 per cent of the population aged 16 years) and over answered the question on gender identity, and 44.9 million people (92.5 per cent) filled in the question on sexual orientation

When asked about their sexual orientation, 43.4 million people (89.4 per cent of the population aged 16 and over) identified as straight or heterosexual.

Some 748,000 (1.5 per cent) described themselves as gay or lesbian, 624,000 (1.3 per cent) as bisexual, and 165,000 (0.3 per cent) selected “other sexual orientation”.

Of those who selected the latter category, the most common responses included pansexual (112,000, 0.23 per cent), asexual (28,000, 0.06 per cent), and queer (15,000, 0.03 per cent).

Coming in at 26th on the list, behind Manchester, Salford, Brighton and London, was Blackpool, where 4.9 per cent of the population aged 16 or over identified as LGB+ (gay or lesbian, bisexual or other sexual orientation).

Here is a list of the proportion of people aged 16 and over identifying as LGB+ (gay or lesbian, bisexual or other sexual orientation) at the 2021 census, broken down by local authority area in Lancashire.

The data has been published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The list is ranked by percentage, starting with the highest:

  • Blackpool 4.9%
  • Lancaster 4.3%
  • Preston 3.8%
  • West Lancashire 2.8%
  • Burnley 2.6%
  • Rossendale 2.5%
  • Chorley 2.5%
  • Fylde 2.5%
  • Hyndburn 2.4%
  • South Ribble 2.4%
  • Wyre 2.4%
  • Blackburn with Darwen 2.1%
  • Pendle 2.1%
  • Ribble Valley 1.6%

ONS director Jen Woolford said the first census estimates were “crucial”, adding: “They will ensure decision-makers have the best information so they can better understand the extent and nature of disadvantage which people may be experiencing in terms of educational outcomes, health, employment and housing.

“This is just the first snapshot. In future analysis we will be exploring sexual orientation and gender identity by key demographic variables, such as age and sex, as well as employment, health, education and ethnicity, among others.”

The ONS has published previous LGB population estimates but Friday (January 6) marks the first time census data has included information on people’s sexual orientation.

The ONS Annual Population Survey estimated that 3.1 per cent of adults aged 16 and over in the UK identified as LGB in 2020.

Younger ages were most likely to identify as LGB, with 8.0 per cent of 16-24-year-olds doing so in 2020, up from 6.6 per cent in 2019 and a jump from 4.1 per cent in 2016

Further census figures showing sexual orientation by age and by sex will be published on January 25.