LGBTQ+ Best European Countries to Retire?

LGBTQ+ Retirement Index
LGBTQ+ Retirement Index Mapping most LGBTQ+ friendly countries for retirees

There has been a growing interest in retirement communities built specifically for those who identify as LGBTQ+, with the first one in the UK set to open in Vauxhall, London in June with 450 currently on the register for interest. Thats quite some interest. Interest in the scheme has highlighted the gap in the market for LGBTQ+ specific older living projects and recognising the needs of this community.

But how do the most popular retirement destinations in Europe stack up when their LGBTQ+ rights are compared? www.money.co.uk has done some analysis. 

The LGBTQ+ Retirement Index by the pension experts at money.co.uk ranks the most LGBTQ+ friendly retirement destinations in Europe and the US, according to how progressive the laws and legislation are. 

Well, after reading the results QX had a thought about them, and we should warn readers that they need to be taken with some qualification. As one of our readers commented: ¨Poland above UK and Hungary above Ireland? … ¨ We´d like to draw readers´attention, and www.money.co.uk to the situation in Poland, for example. See below for the results, the analysis, and a link to the story on what it’s like for LGBTQ+ people to live in Poland at the moment. Happy retirement.

Revealed: Europe’s best places to live for LGBTQ+ pensioners

1 Netherlands 361
2 Italy 344
3 France 333
4 Belgium 332
5 Sweden 277
6 Denmark 273
7 Portugal 222
8 Spain 219
9 Norway 200
10 Iceland 187
11 Germany 181
12 Finland 152
13 Poland 148
14 United Kingdom 143
15 Luxembourg 141
16 Switzerland 141
17 Malta 131
18 Slovak Republic 128
19 Hungary 122
20 Czech Republic 119
21 Austria 114
22 Rep. Ireland 114
23 Slovenia 111
24 Estonia 71
25 Cyprus 62

 

With an LGBTQ+ friendly index score of 361, the Netherlands tops the list of countries for LGBTQ+ pensioners to retire to. As one of the first European countries to legalise same-sex marriage, the Dutch are well-known for being one of the most progressive nations for LGBTQ+ rights.

The LGBTQ+ Retirement Index can be viewed here: 

Credit to  money.co.uk for the research –  link LGBTQ+ Retirement Index here: 

For the full LGBTQ+ Retirement Index see below: 

Image can be downloaded here 

Methodology and sources: 

Taking a seed list of countries from the 2020 Natixis Global Retirement Index, we analysed the following 10 data points:

  1. Year that same-sex sexual activity was legalised 

  2. Year that an equal age of consent was put in place 

  3. Year anti-discrimination laws were put in place*

  4. Year that same-sex marriages were possible

  5. Year that same-sex unions were recognised

  6. Year that joint adoption by same-sex couples (married or unmarried) was legalised

  7. Year that the right to change legal gender was put in place

  8. Year that a third gender option was put in place     

  9. Year that blood donation was permitted for men who have sex with men

  10. Year that Gender X Passports were permitted

Based on how long those laws have been in place, we assigned a score to each country*. 

For example, same sex marriage in the Netherlands was first permitted in 2001, giving the country a score of 20 eg: 2001-2021=20, indicating a more progressive attitude for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Where the right or protection wasn’t in place a score of 0 was assigned.

As such, the countries scoring the most points based on this scoring methodology were deemed better suited to LGBTQ+ retirees.

Credit money.co.uk : link  LGBTQ+ Retirement Index here: 

Gay Polish couple unfold LGBTQ flag in front of Pope with words HELP!

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