What the latest research reveals about the future of Pride and LGBTQ+ business support

Pride in the UK began as protest. London’s first official march in 1972 came just five years after homosexuality was decriminalised, in a climate where LGBTQ+ people could lose jobs and housing and be targeted by police. Manchester’s Pride started in 1985 as a small fundraiser on Canal Street to support an HIV/AIDS ward.

Four decades on, the scale and funding model of Pride are shifting again, driven by changing corporate behaviour, political pressure and tighter security demands.

Political and institutional pushback

According to research published by the BBC, legal and political developments are reshaping how public bodies engage with Pride:

• Merseyside Police stepped back from marching in Liverpool Pride in uniform after legal advice on political impartiality. This year, police and firefighters again stayed away; West Midlands Ambulance Service also withdrew from Birmingham Pride.
• After Reform UK gained control of more local councils, several authorities scaled down visible support. In Durham, the new administration removed the rainbow flag from the council HQ and cut £2,500 in council funding for Durham Pride. In St Helens, the council ended all official engagement with Pride and removed library displays.
• In Enfield, north London, the new Conservative council leader has restricted which flags fly at the civic centre, excluding the rainbow flag from the approved list.

Despite this, community participation remains strong. Durham Pride went ahead and organisers say it was their biggest year yet, raising around £25,000 from individual donors and trade unions.

Security and scale

Security concerns have grown after the car attack at Berlin’s Pride festival last month killed one person and injured 29. Security industry experts expect Pride organisers to reassess risk and safety plans, even for smaller regional events.

This adds cost and complexity at a time when sponsorship income is under pressure.

Pride still matters, especially to young LGBTQ+ people

While some councils and companies are stepping back, younger LGBTQ+ people continue to see Pride as essential. A 2024 YouGov survey of more than 500 LGBTQ+ Britons aged 16–24 found 90% believe it is “very” or “fairly” important that Pride month still exists.

At the same time, the energy of the movement is increasingly found in smaller, local Prides in towns like Ulverston and Crewe, where events are family-centred, cheaper to attend and more explicitly about local community than large commercial stages.

Why this matters for the workplace

For employers, these trends are not just cultural context; they shape talent, risk and reputation:

• Employee trust: When councils remove flags or businesses mute support, LGBTQ+ staff may question how safe it is to be out at work.
• Attraction and retention: Younger workers expect credible inclusion. The data show declining enthusiasm for performative branding, and rising expectations for real policy, benefits and support.
• Community alignment: As corporate money moves away from mega-festivals, partnering with local Pride events and LGBTQ+ organisations offers a more authentic way to demonstrate commitment.

Businesses that want to move from symbolic gestures to measurable impact need access to LGBTQ+ talent networks, resources and peer learning. Signing up to myGwork gives employers and professionals a structured way to connect with the global LGBTQ+ business community, translate Pride values into year-round workplace practice and stay aligned with what the data say inclusion now requires.

Interested in becoming a corporate member? Click here for more info.