United Kingdom
Freedom at a Glance
Global Freedom
92 / 100
Free
Internet Freedom
75 / 100
Free
The United Kingdom—which includes the constituent countries of England, Scotland, and Wales along with the territory of Northern Ireland—is a stable democracy that regularly holds free elections and hosts a vibrant media sector.
Research & Recommendations
United Kingdom
Free
92
100
| PR Political Rights | 39 40 |
| CL Civil Liberties | 53 60 |
Last Year's Score & Status
92
100
Free
A country or territory’s Freedom in the World status depends on its aggregate Political Rights score, on a scale of 0–40, and its aggregate Civil Liberties score, on a scale of 0–60.
See the methodology.
Overview
The United Kingdom (UK)—which includes the constituent countries of England, Scotland, and Wales along with the territory of Northern Ireland—is a stable democracy that regularly holds free elections and hosts a vibrant media sector. While the government generally enforces robust protections for political rights and civil liberties, recent years have featured new restrictions on the right to protest as well as rising Islamophobia, antisemitism, and anti-immigrant sentiment.
Freedom in the World 2026 Policy Recommendations
Strengthen democratic coordination and collective action in a contested global order
Democratic resilience will increasingly depend on stronger coordination among countries that share a commitment to freedom, the rule of law, and accountable governance.
Reimagine international democracy assistance to help reverse the global decline in freedom
International support for democratic institutions, civil society, and independent media has been associated with modest but meaningful improvements in democratic governance, and it is far less costly than the military outlays necessitated by rising authoritarian aggression.
Prioritize engagement with younger generations in the digital spaces where civic identity is now formed
Young people are increasingly dissatisfied with democracy—not because they reject its principles, but because they see institutions failing to deliver on them. Programmatic work should create clear pathways for meaningful political participation, from voting and policy engagement to community organizing and public leadership, so that young people can translate their expectations into agency.
United Kingdom
Free
75
100
| A Obstacles to Access | 24 25 |
| B Limits on Content | 27 35 |
| C Violations of User Rights | 24 40 |
Last Year's Score & Status
76
100
Free
Scores are based on a scale of 0 (least free) to 100 (most free).
See the methodology and report acknowledgements.
Overview
Internet freedom in the United Kingdom declined slightly during the coverage period, because authorities charged a group of people with terrorism offenses for arranging Zoom meetings to discuss mobilization strategies in support of Palestine Action, an advocacy group proscribed by the UK government. Privacy concerns persisted in relation to the government’s efforts to obtain encrypted data from Apple and its enforcement of the Online Safety Act, which requires social media companies and internet providers to shield underage users from illegal, “harmful” content through age-verification mechanisms. Nonetheless, the overall environment remained free, as the government did not impose major restrictions on content or website blocks.
Freedom on the Net 2026 Policy Recommendations
Undermine Authoritarian Internet Restrictions
Access to the internet is under threat as authoritarian powers continue to create barriers for people to freely express themselves online. Internet shutdowns, throttling, and platform blocking remain among the most common tools of digital repression. At the same time, digital technologies serve as a lifeline for people seeking to expose human rights violations to the outside world and hold dictators accountable.
Safeguard Privacy Online
Protecting privacy online is essential to safeguarding free expression in repressive contexts. Without strong privacy protections, journalists and human rights defenders may self-censor out of a fear of reprisal. Rapid advances in AI—and the growing threat of automated vulnerability exploitation—heighten these risks, leaving civil society organizations increasingly vulnerable to sophisticated cyberattacks.
Transnational repression is clearly on the radar of the UK government. Authorities have understood the issue through the prism of national security, introducing laws and sanctions to penalize egregious incidents carried out by foreign states against their current or former nationals. However, a comprehensive and effective response to the problem will require going beyond the criminalization of certain acts to both increase the resilience of diaspora communities and recognize the ways in which some migration policies can exacerbate transnational repression.
Policy Recommendations: Transnational Repression
Raising awareness about the threat of transnational repression.
Like-minded governments and international organizations should work together to highlight the threat of transnational repression and establish international norms for addressing it.
Limiting the ability of perpetrators to commit transnational repression.
This includes agreeing on a common definition of transnational repression, and prohibiting the use of Interpol notices on their own to deny immigration or asylum benefits or conduct arrests.
Bringing accountability for acts of transnational repression.
Among other tactics, governments should deploy a robust strategy for targeted sanctions against perpetrators of transnational repression.
News and Updates
Freedom House Perspectives
News Releases & Media Coverage
Policy & Advocacy
Country Facts
Basic Facts
Freedom in the World Score
92
/ 100
Free
Freedom on the Net Score
75
/ 100
Free
Population: 66,970,000
Election Facts
Status
Past Election
Date of Election
July 4th, 2024
Type of Election
Parliamentary
Internet Penetration
97.80%
Election Year
2024
Vulnerability Index
88
/ 100
Transnational Repression
STATUS
HOST COUNTRY
Key Origin States
Bahrain, Pakistan, Russia, Rwanda
Best Practices
Individuals warned of threats against them; Support for multilateral responses to incidents
