UK has one Europe’s biggest nanny states
The UK has one of the biggest nanny states in Europe, a new study has found.
The report from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and the European Policy Information Centre, titled the Nanny State Index 2025, said that the UK has the 7th biggest nanny state in Europe.
Edited by Dr Christopher Snowdon, head of lifestyle economics at the think tank, it gives 29 European countries a score out of 100 according to how they regulate lifestyle choices.
The country has moved up four places since the report was last published in 2023, from 11th place.
The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and the European Policy Information Centre said the UK’s “heavy-handed measures” including anti-smoking rules, sugar tax, and strict alcohol advertising laws, all impacted the ranking.
The report noted the UK has the second highest taxes on cigarettes when adjusted for income in Europe and the fourth highest taxes on alcohol when adjusted for income.
It added that the UK could climb even further up the rankings when the index is next published in 2027.
A ban on disposable e-cigarettes, a generational tobacco sales ban, a new vape tax, and an unprecedented ban on “less healthy” food advertising are all set to drive the country up the rankings when they come into force over the coming years.
Despite the increased nanny state approach, the report found no correlation between stricter regulation and better health outcomes like life expectancy, lower smoking rates, or reduced alcohol consumption.
A higher score on the Nanny State Index does not correlate with higher life expectancy.
The IEA argues that these policies “squeeze” consumers “in the name of ‘public health’”. It also says that “[e]xcessive regulation creates excessive bureaucracy.”
Nanny state restrictions required
Despite the report’s findings, Lord James Bethell, previously health minister under Boris Johnson’s government, has advocated for what the IEA calls “sin taxes”.
In response to the report’s findings, Bethell told City AM: “Britain is slipping down the health rankings according to many sources, including the Legatum Prosperity Index where the UK ranked 34th in the health category in 2023, down from 23rd in 2019.”
“I agree with the IEA that pettifogging red-tape and the treacle of tiresome regulation is a huge drag-anchor on enterprise.
“That’s why I support clear cut guardrails that give industry certainty and protect our national human capital, such as the ‘Smoking Extinction 2040’ measure in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, and banning social media for under-16s,” he added.