My employer has just removed single sexed toilets to be more inclusive!

I think women are just going to have to kick up a fuss every time they have to use a toilet that has been made disgusting by men. It may be legal to force women into enclosed unisex toilets, but it’s not acceptable to put up with piss all over the floor, shit on toilet seats etc, so the only thing we can do is complain, all of us, every single time. With photographic evidence of the filthy conditions we are being expected to endure.

I think this is an important point to raise. Why no consultation? And what’s changed to make them take this measure when it’s generally unpopular?

See my post directly above yours.

Also, if you’ve ever been in a unisex public loo you’ll no doubt be aware that they are vastly dirtier and smellier than women’s loos. Why should women have to put up with men pissing on the seat and floor and leaving it for their colleagues to clean up?

That is disgusting. If they are smearing faeces around, I’d be concerned about hidden cameras if they had access to women’s facilities. They sound like pretty revolting men.

If they are individual and lockable what is the problem ?

Perhaps, but I see all manner of posters offering fully enclosed toilets as a solution to the issue of men who think they’re women wanting in on the women’s single sex facilities, and it’s very important that people realise that enclosed loos are not the dream ticket solution to this problem.

Fully enclosed lockable toilets massively increase risk for people who are seriously ill because of eg a diabetic hypo, a heart attack, stroke or seizure being in trouble where nobody can see there is an issue and so they are left for a long time with nobody getting help because nobody knows they are ill. They also raise the risk of sexual assault of women and girls, as they can be pushed into a cubicle with an attacker, that is then locked and nobody can see or hear what is going on.

HSE produce guidance on the regs which says:

where possible, separate facilities for men and women _ failing that, rooms with lockable doors

https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg293.PDF

It's also worth checking whether they have enough toilets now they are all mixed sex. The numbers are different for men's toilets vs. women's or mixed.

This is useful: https://sex-matters.org/posts/publications/workplace-toilets-know-your-rights/

Also as a LA they will have additional obligations under the PSED. You could ask to see their equality impact assessment for this change.

The thread on 'Gender Neutral' loos https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5342958-gender-neutral-rooms-hidden-cameras

The Guardian article

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/may/27/secret-spy-cameras-voyeurism-uk

I’ve just gone through this. Now have to deal with shitty toilets, god awful smell, piss on the floor and piss on the seats and leaving the toilet seat up

Just wait til you and your male colleague walk in together into side by side cubicles and you want to unwrap a sanitary towel...

I'm confident this is perfectly legal, but you can always complain.

See the other thread on the dangers of 'gender neutral' facilities re: the rise of hidden camera use and voyeurism. Reported in the Guardian no less. So this would be a reasonable thing to raise with your idiot employers.

Or can you come to an arrangement between you and reinstate M and F with your own signs or stickers?

I worked in finance for a well known UK bank in a specialised traditional department for many years with absolutely no toileting issues. After the relocation to our office space of a more international department, we had numerous reports of turds on the floor of the gents. How the fuck does that happen?

Really wouldn't trust anything by Lewis Silkin they have given proven incorrect legal advice in the past. Funny really as they are the advisors to the CIPD 😂

I thought the EHRC guidance was very clear re: single sex toilets must be provided in the workplace. Why are so many pp's getting it wrong? Is there further guidance I've missed?

It is legal. They have to either have single sex facilities OR fully enclosed toilets with washing facilities so only one person will be in there at a time; then it can be mixed sex.

Same

are you saying that grown adult man who have no sen - are literally smearing poo for the fun of it

OP given the toilets are legal, could you come to an informal arrangement with colleagues, that ladies use floor 1 and gents floor 2 (for example)?

That seems to be the rule in my workplace. The men march past the first few to use the ones at the end. So effectively the first few are used by women.

Finance in London believe it or not and it's impossible to catch anyone as you can't have CCTV in the toilet. It's only happened twice but any is too much.

"Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, Reg 20. Separate sanitary conveniences for men and women are mandatory unless each toilet is an individual, fully-enclosed room with its own wash-basin and lock."

Bit pointless for the Op to send this letter then..

"Fully enclosed lockable individual toilets are far less safe than single sex spaces with door gaps"

Not really relevant her though is it? It appears that the op's employer has always had single occupancy lockable rooms which are now all labelled unisex....

I don’t see the problem if they’re all individual cubicles.

If they are fully enclosed then they are single sex as they can only be used by one person at a time - it’s a bit like toilets on trains, aeroplanes and Costa coffee shops!

Sample letter I'd send to HR:

Subject: Urgent: reinstatement of single-sex toilet provision – legal compliance & staff dignity

Dear [HR Manager],

I am writing as a female member of staff to raise a formal health-and-safety and equality grievance. Last week all women’s toilets were re-signed as “universal”, leaving no single-sex provision in this building.

1 . Legal position

• Supreme Court, For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers (16 Apr 2025). The Court confirmed that the protected characteristic of “sex” in the Equality Act refers to biological sex. Employers must therefore recognise women as a distinct legal category.
• EHRC interim guidance (26 Apr 2025). Organisations should normally maintain female-only facilities; mixed-sex can be additional, not a replacement.
• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, Reg 20. Separate sanitary conveniences for men and women are mandatory unless each toilet is an individual, fully-enclosed room with its own wash-basin and lock.
• Building Regulations 2010 – new Part T (in force 1 Oct 2024). Future refurbishments must provide reasonable single-sex toilets; universal cubicles are only allowed in addition or where space genuinely precludes separate ladies’ and gents’.

2 . Impact on women’s dignity & safety
The loss of a dedicated women’s facility compromises privacy, religious observance and personal safety. Several colleagues have already stated they avoid drinking water or extend “holding on” rather than use the new arrangement. This is a potential health risk and a form of indirect sex discrimination.

3 . Remedy sought

1. Reinstate clearly-signed female toilets (and male toilets) on each floor.
2. Retain or add universal/all-gender single-occupancy rooms as an extra choice, ensuring they meet lockable, fully-enclosed standards.
3. Confirm, in writing within 14 days, the timetable for compliance and the risk assessment covering privacy, dignity and health.

If these steps are not taken I will have to escalate the matter via our internal grievance policy and, if necessary, seek external enforcement through the Health & Safety Executive and the Employment Tribunal.

I look forward to your prompt response.

This decision is not lawful and needs challenging.

1. UK Supreme Court – For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers (16 Apr 2025): the Equality Act’s protected characteristic of “sex” means biological sex, so women remain a distinct legal class whose privacy must be respected.
2. EHRC interim guidance (26 Apr 2025): workplaces must still provide sufficient single-sex toilets; mixed-sex facilities can only be additional, not a replacement.
3. Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regs 1992, reg 20: employers must offer separate ladies’ and gents’ unless every WC is a fully enclosed, lockable room with its own basin.
4. Building Regulations 2010, Part T (in force 1 Oct 2024): single-sex toilets should be provided; universal cubicles are a supplement where genuine space limits exist.

What I'd do

Raise a formal grievance with HR and Facilities (copy in your union). Cite the legal breaches above, request reinstatement of clearly-labelled women’s toilets within 14 days, and state you will escalate to the HSE and, if necessary, the Employment Tribunal for indirect sex discrimination if the issue is not resolved.