Travel safety comparison · Europe
United Kingdom vs Ireland: safety comparison
vs
Side-by-side safety comparison of United Kingdom and Ireland for 2026: risk scores, FCDO and US State Department advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ legal status, and the practical decision between the two.
Ireland sits a little lower on the Warnely composite score than United Kingdom (11 against 22), but the gap is small enough that the practical difference comes down to category-by-category detail rather than the headline. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where Ireland scores 1/5 against United Kingdom's 2/5. The US State Department currently carries a Level 2 advisory on United Kingdom and a Level 1 on Ireland.
| 🇬🇧United Kingdom | 🇮🇪Ireland | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 22 / 100 | 11 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Exercise Normal Caution | Very Safe |
| UK FCDO advisory | No active advisory | No active advisory |
| US State Department advisory | Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) |
| Global Peace Index rank | #30 | #2 |
| Drug law | Strict | Strict |
| Women's safety rating | Very Safe | Very Safe |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | marriage | marriage |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | GBP | EUR |