The UK has dropped to 22nd place in ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map 2025, marking its lowest ever ranking on the annual index of LGBTQ+ rights across the continent. The announcement, made on 16 May, has sparked alarm among campaigners who warn that the country is facing a serious backslide in equality protections.
ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map ranks 49 European countries according to how well their laws and policies protect the rights of LGBTQ+ people. Until recently, the UK was consistently among the top performers. But this year’s fall — a steep drop from 14th place just two years ago — reflects growing concerns over the erosion of trans rights, delays in banning conversion therapy, and an increasingly hostile political climate.
The most significant factor affecting the UK’s score this year was the UK Supreme Court’s ruling that “sex” under the Equality Act 2010 must be interpreted as referring to biological sex rather than gender identity. While the judgment was presented as a clarification, campaigners say it effectively strips away hard-won protections for trans people, especially in accessing single-sex services and spaces.
The ruling has already triggered major repercussions. Pride organizers in cities including London, Brighton, Manchester and Birmingham have announced they will bar political parties from participating in this year’s marches. Their joint statement called the move a “direct response to the abandonment of the trans community by political leadership” and a stand against what they describe as “performative allyship.”
LGBTQ+ rights advocates are also highlighting the Scottish Government’s decision to drop plans for a full ban on so-called conversion therapy — a form of abuse that seeks to suppress or change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Campaigners say the delay has further eroded trust and sends a harmful message to LGBTQ+ youth in particular.
Waiting times for gender-affirming care on the NHS continue to lengthen, with some patients waiting more than five years for a first appointment. The situation has prompted the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to launch a review into whether the UK is still complying with international human rights obligations related to trans healthcare access.
In a statement following the Rainbow Map’s publication, ILGA-Europe’s Executive Director, Evelyne Paradis, said:
“The UK’s trajectory should be a wake-up call. Regressive legal interpretations, policy inertia, and inflammatory rhetoric from public figures all have real consequences. Rights can be lost faster than they were won.”
For employers and inclusion leaders, this shift in the UK’s standing poses a challenge: how to continue building LGBTQ+ inclusive workplaces in a broader political environment that appears increasingly divided. Many HR professionals are now reviewing internal equality policies, staff training, and support networks to ensure that their workplace values stand in contrast to wider legal and political uncertainty.
The fall in the rankings also raises questions about the UK’s leadership on international human rights. Once seen as a pioneer in LGBTQ+ equality, the country is now under increased scrutiny from global observers, with some warning that its declining position may affect its credibility in future negotiations over human rights standards.
Despite these setbacks, grassroots organizations across the UK continue to campaign, educate, and advocate for change. From youth-led Pride collectives to legal support charities, the message is clear: equality is not inevitable — it must be defended.