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The UK ranks as the second most LGBT-friendly country in Europe

But which is first?

By Fabio Crispim

The UK is the second-most LGBT+ friendly country in Europe, according to a new study. 

Spotahome, a company that helps people move to new countries, released their Equality in Europe ranking which highlights the cities and countries that are “paving the way for LGBT+ people in Europe”. 

The ranking took 36 countries and scored them on facts such as LGBT+ friendliness, gender pay gap, quality of life and immigration acceptance – and the UK almost made it on top. 

Norway landed in first place with a total of 8.3 points out of 10, having earned the highest number of points in every category apart from quality of life. 

Meanwhile, the UK received a score of 8.55 for LGBT+ friendliness, with cities Edinburgh, London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol and Birmingham all receiving the highest marks in the category. 

Other countries that made the top ten list for LGBT+ friendliness include Belgium (8.07), France (7.95), Portugal (7.71), Denmark (7.59), Finland (7.59), Spain (7.47), Netherlands (7.11) and Croatia (6.87). 

The least LGBT+ friendly counties include the likes of Belarus, Turkey and Russia, which all earned less than one point. 

Melissa Lyras, the Spotahome Brand and Communications Manager, said she hopes the research will help LGBT+ people decide which areas are best to live in: “While it’s hopeful to see strides being taken in some countries to ensure everyone is accepted, it’s evident there is still much work to do.

“LGBTI acceptance has hindered overall equality scores for many of the countries analysed and has highlighted this as a key area for improvement.”