The UK is now second-worst country for LGBTQ+ rights in western Europe

Once hailed as a trailblazer for LGBTQ+ rights in Europe, the UK has slid to 22^nd place in the latest ILGA-Europe rankings – a dramatic fall from its number one spot just a decade ago. 

The Rainbow Europe Map and Index – published annually by ILGA-Europe – evaluates the legal and policy landscape for LGBTQ+ people across 49 European countries. This year, the UK scored just 46%, making it the second-worst performer in western Europe and Scandinavia – ahead of only Italy.

The decline is being attributed in large part to last month’s Supreme Court ruling, which interpreted ​“sex” in the 2010 Equality Act as strictly biological, effectively excluding trans people from protection under the law. For legislation relating specifically to the recognition of gender identity, the UK now ranks 45^th – down with countries like Hungary, Georgia, Bulgaria, and Russia.

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In 2015, the UK topped the index with an 86% rating. Since then, it’s been on a slow but steady decline. This year alone, the UK dropped seven spots.

“The time to push back is now, before the targeted attacks we’re seeing in countries like Hungary, the UK, and Georgia become the norm rather than the exception,” said ILGA-Europe’s executive director, Chaber.

While Scotland’s recent introduction of the Hate Crime and Public Order Act added some protections, its effect on the overall UK score was minimal due to limited jurisdiction. 

A spokesperson for TGEU, the European transgender rights network, said the UK now has a Supreme Court, a prime minister, and an equalities watchdog ​“singing from the same hymn sheet as anti-trans campaigners.”

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They added that the Court’s decision not only strips trans people of legal certainty but also opens the door to dangerous exclusions – from hospital wards and public toilets to refugee shelters and other essential spaces.

Rebecca Don Kennedy, chief executive of the Equality Network, called the drop ​“shameful”, stating: ​“For our treatment of trans people after the Supreme Court ruling, we are now known as one of the worst countries in Europe. The UK must do better.”

Vic Valentine of Scottish Trans echoed the alarm: ​“From the outside, the UK is viewed as a cautionary tale of how things can go backwards rather than forwards.”

Malta continues to lead the index with a score of 89%, followed by Belgium, Iceland, Denmark, and Spain. Other nations now above the UK include Finland, Ireland, Croatia and Estonia.

The message from LGBTQ+ advocates is clear: progress is not permanent, and rights can be eroded if left unguarded. ​“This isn’t inevitable,” said Valentine. ​“Governments can – and must – act to reverse this decline.”

Ella Glossop is Huck’s social lead. Follow her on Bluesky.

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