The UK’s cleanest beaches revealed after hundreds fall ill swimming in British waters

New research has revealed the cleanest beaches across the UK (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Britain’s polluted waters have been back in the spotlight since the Environment Agency revealed that that almost all of England’s lakes, rivers and coastal waters are heaving with toxic chemicals. Charming.

And now the water crisis is deepening after Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) received a record number of sickness reports from beachgoers.

Jo Morley, SAS’s head of campaigns, accused water companies of ‘making us sick’ after decades of pumping sewage into open waters.

The affected beaches include several Blue Flag spots, which are given their title for the highest water quality, biodiversity levels and safety.

So where can we swim in peace?

New research from the Foundation for Environmental Education has identified the beaches with the cleanest waters across the UK.

Saltdean Beach is known for its rock pools (Picture: Getty Images)

There are 63 in England and nine in Northern Ireland, including high profile locations such as Hastings, Saltdean, Sandbanks, and Blackpool Sands.

Hastings beach hugs the length of the town, from the fishing quarter and the Old Town in the east, past the amusement arcades and the pier, towards the Marina and onto St Leonard-on-Sea.

Regular cleaning efforts are organised by volunteers from Plastic Free Hastings, as well as routine maintenance carried out by Hastings Council and a service for reporting litter.

Writing on TripAdvisor, @hallidayny described it as a ‘lovely wide beach to go running,’ and said the water was ‘very inviting’.

Meanwhile, @lady_britts said it was ‘lovely and clean,’ writing: ‘There are activities for everyone, from crazy golf, trampolines, golf carts, restaurants and multiple outlets for cold beverages.

‘It’s a beautiful place to just stop and watch the world go by.’

Meanwhile, Saltdean Beach is only around five miles from Brighton, but it’s much quieter. At low tide, the rock pools appear, and there are plenty of cafes dotted along the picturesque chalk cliffs.

Down in Dorset, Sandbanks is known for being a particularly bougie location, as the area is home to some of the priciest property in the UK (according to Rightmove, averages have sat at £1,019,569 over the last year, with detached homes fetching an even higher £1,695,909).

Back on the beach side of things, though, Sandbanks is famously clean, with glittering blue waters and immaculate sand.

During the high season, the clean-up process goes above and beyond, sifting through the spot each day using tractors.

There’s also a no-smoking policy in place, which no doubt goes a long way towards freeing the shores of finished cigarette butts.

Walton-on-the-Naze also made the list (Picture: Getty Images)

Minnis Bay, a quaint little spot down in Kent, also got a mention, famous for its beach chalets and long, stretching expanse. The Minnis Bay Bar & Brasserie also overlooks the coast and dishes out seafood favourites, including fish and chips, grilled tuna, and salmon linguine.

Over in Essex, Walton-on-the-Naze made the list, famed not only for its cleanliness but for its bountiful fossil-hunting opportunities.

Meanwhile, if you’d like to know which beaches to avoid, recent research revealed the UK’s ‘no-go’ beaches, where swimming — or even dipping your toe in the water — is not advised.

That’s because sewage and dump waste are polluting the sea, meaning these beaches have been classified as ‘poor’ for water quality; the lowest rating given by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

There are 20 across the UK, so if you’re planning a beach day, take note.

This article originally appeared on May 26, 2026, and has been updated.

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