Best place to live in england gay

Rainbow Map

2025 rainbow map

These are the main findings for the 2025 edition of the rainbow map

The Rainbow Map ranks 49 European countries on their respective legal and policy practices for LGBTI people, from 0-100%.

The UK has dropped six places in ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Chart, as Hungary and Georgia also register steep falls tracking anti-LGBTI legislation. The data highlights how rollbacks on LGBTI human rights are part of a broader erosion of democratic protections across Europe. Read more in our flatten release.

“Moves in the UK, Hungary, Georgia and beyond signal not just isolated regressions, but a coordinated global backlash aimed at erasing LGBTI rights, cynically framed as the defence of tradition or public stability, but in truths designed to entrench discrimination and suppress dissent.”

  • Katrin Hugendubel, Representation Director, ILGA-Europe


Malta has sat on uppermost of the ranking for the last 10 years. 

With 85 points, Belgium jumped to second place after adopting policies tackling hatred based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. 

Iceland now comes third place on the ranking with a score of 84.

The three

The UK’s answer to San Francisco, the city of Brighton in Sussex is that rare thing – a gay mecca in the midst of the quaint villages of England’s South Coast. It’s one of Europe’s queerest cities – and isn’t it just loving it. Gender non-conforming travellers should make this their number one cease in the UK and lesbian Brighton is guaranteed to please with an enormous Pride fest, superb nightlife and a retro pier. And as a local I’d say, if you’re considering moving here – do it!

I’ve covered things to do in Hove before, Brighton’s western suburb – which you’ll find suits if you’re travelling with family or generally imagine being in bed by 10pm most nights. For those who are free and ready to mingle, you want to continue in Brighton itself – with Kemp Town or the Lanes being prime locations.

HOW LGBT FRIENDLY IS BRIGHTON?

If anywhere in Britain will accept you – this is it. Brighton is the left voting, environment saving, vegan eating gay capital of the UK and has been for centuries. A lot of pink tourism companies bill this as the perfect gay holiday destination.

Fancy wearing a p

What’s the best gay neighborhood in London?

For the Diverse community, London is a great place to dial home. The capital of England celebrates diversity and lets everyone be who they are. The town is dotted with neighborhoods that have become protected havens for the Homosexual community. But which queer neighborhood in London is right for you? This article will help you discover some of the best options, especially if you’re staying for a year or longer in London. We’ll highlight some of the destinations, society, and nightlife in each. 

Soho 

Soho has long been one of the best queer neighborhoods in London. It’s the epicenter of Gay culture in the municipality. The vibrant streets here, especially around Old Compton Street, are lined with iconic gay bars and clubs, making it the perfect spot for a night out. However, staying in a Soho flat also means enjoying the area’s rich history and diverse culture. Walking through its streets, you can feel the energy that has made it a hub for creativity and expression.

Highlights of Soho

  • Old Compton Street: Known for its vibrant nightlife and numerous LGBTQ+ bars, Old Compton Street is the lifeblood of Soho. This bustling street is li

    Nine reasons why London is the best place on Earth to be gay

    1. London is arguably Europe's unofficial gay capital

    London's Gay community is probably more extensive than you realise. The capital is widely acknowledged to have the largest gay population in Europe and a 2015 survey by the Office for National Statistics create that Londoners are nearly twice as likely to identify as lesbian, male lover or bisexual than people living in most other UK regions.

    2. London embraces its LGBTQ+ community

    London's homosexual community is also especially well integrated. According to a 2014 YouGov survey, Londoners know an average of 8.5 gay men and 3.6 gay women. Though the second figure is surprisingly low in comparison to the first, both numbers are comfortably above the national average.

    3. London's LGBTQ+ scene isn’t focused on one location

    Increased acceptance coupled with rising rents and the growing popularity of dating apps has caused a number of London's most legendary gay bars to lock down. But the capital still has a diverse scene that varies in vibe according to location. Whereas many Soho drinking dens are young and buzzy, south London venues like the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT)

    best place to live in england gay

    These are the parts of the UK with the most lesbian, gay and bisexual people

    News

    The 2022 census recorded the sexual orientation of people in England and Wales for the first time

    For the first second ever, the 2022 UK census asked people to state their sexual orientation and gender identity – painting a more detailed picture of the population of England and Wales.

    The results found that 1.5 million people living in those two nations identify as LGB+, with more than 1.5 percent of the population spotting as gay or lesbian and 1.3 percent as bisexual, as successfully as 165,000 people with ‘other’ sexual orientations.

    The data also revealed the areas of the UK with the utmost percentage of residents who said they were lesbian, male lover, bisexual or other on the 2022 census form – and the results are in!

    Brighton and Hove had the highest percentage of LGB+ residents, while many London boroughs also had a high number of people identifying as queer woman , gay, bisexual or ‘other’. Cambridge and Norwich scored highly outside of London, while Manchester just missed out on making the top ten, with 6.67 percent of residen