Ending government funding for projects tackling bullying of LGBTQ+ students in England’s schools will “further marginalise” those young people, ministers have been warned. The news that programmes that have benefited from £4m in funding since 2014 to counter LGBTQ+ bullying will not be continued overshadowed Department for Education efforts to mark anti-bullying week. The Government Equalities Office said a grant fund that provided 2,250 schools across the country with materials and training had always been due to end in March 2020. All anti-bullying work would be “taken forward” by the Department for Education alongside relationships education in primary schools and relationships and sex education in secondary schools, it said. But there was shock among providers of workshops, as well as parents, students and teachers who had expecting the funding to continue, the BBC reported. “This decision will only serve to further marginalise LGBT young people,” said Tulip Siddiq MP, shadow minister for children and early years. “The government itself has admitted that young people who identify as LGBT have higher risk of bullying and long-term harm to their education, health and wellbeing, so to be pulling away financial support from those fighting this abuse is especially callous.” The equalities charity Stonewall noted that the news had emerged during anti-bullying week, and a day after the anniversary of the repeal of section 28, a notorious clause in the Local Government Act 1988 that banned local authorities from “promoting homosexuality”. Nancy Kelley, the chief executive of Stonewall, said that young LGBTQ+ people still face significant problems in England’s schools and the organisation’s 2017 School Report had revealed that nearly half of LGBTQ+ pupils (45%) were still bullied for being themselves. “We know LGBT people are disproportionately affected by poor mental health, and some of this is because of the way they were treated at school,” she added. “This is why it’s crucial this government invests money in funding anti-LGBT bullying programmes across England. We can’t leave students to suffer in silence.” A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Bullying is never acceptable in any form, and we must all take a stand against bullying to create a safe place for all children in the classroom and online. “Our new relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) guidance and training resources will give schools the confidence to construct a curriculum that reflects diversity of views and backgrounds, whilst fostering respect for others and the understanding of healthy relationships.” Nevertheless, the release of messages to mark anti-bullying week and a video in which the education secretary, Gavin Williamson, spoke about the issue were met with criticism by others who took issue with the ending of the LGBTQ+ funding. The Conservative party’s 2019 manifesto for government included a pledge to continue to help teachers tackle bullying, including homophobic bullying. Civil servants were evaluating the grant fund programme “to increase our evidence base on what works in schools,” according to the Government Equalities Office. Metro, a charity that delivered training in schools and colleges under the fund, tweeted that its work to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying funded was “hugely impactful” but added that continued funding was needed.