I found a brand new UK survival server that is mainly here for stress testing and performance checks. The owner is mixing Azure hosting with Minecraft and wants players to jump in and see how it feels.
It runs on Paper 1.21 and the gamemode is Survival. The server is hosted in the UK on Azure UK South so it should feel snappy for UK players.
If you join the test server you are basically helping them push the infrastructure and report if anything feels laggy or weird. They also offer free 48 hour server trials for anyone who wants to try running their own server.
UK Survival Stress Test Server
GG.MINEWIND.NET New Server IPFREE 24/7 Minecraft Hosting For Friends
I found a free Minecraft hosting service made for small servers and friend groups. It is also good for testing plugins or just messing around without paying.
The specs they list are 3GB RAM with 2GB RAM and 1GB swap. It also has 5GB storage and 1 vCore CPU. They say it is 24 7 uptime.
It is not top tier but it should be enough to actually play with friends. Feedback is welcome and right now they are only focused on free Minecraft hosting.GG.MINEWIND.NET New Server IPRainbow Unity SMP Rank Up Survival
Rainbow Unity is an SMP that is updated to 1.21.11 and it is built for people who want a place to settle in.
You can claim land so your stuff stays yours and you can build up an empire over time. There is also a rankup system with perks so you can keep leveling up while you play.
I also saw crates for powerful rewards plus daily rewards to keep you coming back. It has ranks quests custom items crates and land claim so there is always something to do.GG.MINEWIND.NET New Server IP