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United Kingdom › Questions

Life in the UK Test questions and answers 2026

All 249 questions in our bank, with the correct answer and why. Want to test yourself instead? Practice mode hides the answers.

Values and principles

  1. Which of the following is one of the fundamental principles of British life? Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
  2. Which of these is a responsibility that the handbook says people living in the UK should accept? To look after the area in which you live and the environment
  3. In the UK, people are free to choose their religion or to have no religion at all. True
  4. Which of these is a freedom the UK offers to all its citizens and permanent residents? Freedom of speech
  5. In the citizenship pledge, new citizens promise to uphold the UK's democratic values. True
  6. According to the handbook, what do people applying for permanent residence or citizenship need to show? That they speak and read English and have a good understanding of life in the UK
  7. Which of these is NOT one of the fundamental principles of British life? Extremism
  8. Which of these is one of the responsibilities the handbook says everyone living in the UK should accept? To respect the rights of others, including their right to their own opinions
  9. According to the handbook, there is no place in British society for extremism or intolerance. True
  10. Which of these freedoms does the UK offer to everyone who lives here? Freedom from unfair discrimination
  11. The right to a fair trial is one of the freedoms the UK offers to its citizens and permanent residents. True
  12. According to the handbook, what are the fundamental values and principles of British society based on? History and traditions
  13. The handbook says that only people born in the UK are expected to respect British values and principles. False
  14. Which of these is NOT one of the responsibilities listed in the handbook? Supporting the political party in power
  15. Participation in community life is one of the fundamental principles of British life. True
  16. At a citizenship ceremony, what can a new citizen make instead of the oath if they prefer not to swear by God? An affirmation of allegiance
  17. In the citizenship pledge, what do new citizens promise to do with the UK's laws? Observe them faithfully

What is the UK

  1. Which countries make up Great Britain? England, Scotland and Wales
  2. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are part of the United Kingdom. False
  3. What is the full official name of the UK? The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
  4. The Republic of Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. False
  5. Which of these is a Crown dependency? The Isle of Man
  6. Which of these is a British overseas territory? The Falkland Islands
  7. The UK is governed by the Parliament sitting in Westminster, London. True
  8. Which part of the United Kingdom is NOT part of Great Britain? Northern Ireland
  9. British overseas territories, such as St Helena, are part of the United Kingdom. False
  10. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have a parliament or assembly of their own, with devolved powers in defined areas. True

History

  1. Where is Stonehenge? Wiltshire
  2. Which Roman emperor led the successful invasion of Britain in AD 43? Claudius
  3. Who was Boudicca? The queen of the Iceni, who fought against the Romans
  4. Why was Hadrian's Wall built? To keep out the Picts
  5. In what year did the Romans leave Britain? AD 410
  6. Who won the Battle of Hastings in 1066? William, Duke of Normandy
  7. What was the Domesday Book? A record of the towns and villages in England, who lived in them, who owned the land and what animals they owned
  8. In 1215, King John was forced to agree to a charter of rights. What was it called? Magna Carta
  9. Robert the Bruce defeated the English at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. True
  10. What was the Black Death? A form of plague that killed about one third of the population of England in 1348
  11. The Wars of the Roses ended at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. Who became king afterwards? Henry Tudor (Henry VII)
  12. Why did Henry VIII establish the Church of England? Because the Pope refused to allow him to divorce his first wife
  13. In which year was the Spanish Armada defeated? 1588
  14. In the English Civil War, supporters of the king were known as Cavaliers and supporters of Parliament as Roundheads. True
  15. Who designed the new St Paul's Cathedral after the Great Fire of London in 1666? Sir Christopher Wren
  16. The 1707 Act of Union created which kingdom? The Kingdom of Great Britain
  17. Admiral Nelson was killed during which battle, at which the British fleet defeated the French and Spanish fleets? Trafalgar
  18. Slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire in 1807. False
  19. In which year were women given the right to vote at the same age as men (21)? 1928
  20. The First World War ended at 11 am on 11 November 1918. True
  21. Who became Prime Minister in 1940 and led Britain during most of the Second World War? Winston Churchill
  22. On what date did the D-Day landings in Normandy take place? 6 June 1944
  23. Who was the Minister for Health who led the establishment of the NHS in 1948? Aneurin (Nye) Bevan
  24. About how long ago did Britain become permanently separated from the continent by the Channel? About 10,000 years ago
  25. When did the first farmers arrive in Britain? About 6,000 years ago
  26. Skara Brae, the best-preserved prehistoric village in northern Europe, is on which group of islands? Orkney
  27. Maiden Castle is an impressive Iron Age hill fort. In which county is it? Dorset
  28. Sutton Hoo, where an Anglo-Saxon king was buried with treasure and armour in a ship, is in which modern county? Suffolk
  29. Who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury? St Augustine
  30. St Columba founded a monastery on which island, off the coast of what is now Scotland? Iona
  31. In which year did the Vikings first visit Britain to raid coastal towns? AD 789
  32. Which Anglo-Saxon king united the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and defeated the Vikings? King Alfred the Great
  33. What was the Danelaw? The area of England where many Vikings settled
  34. In the north, the threat of Viking attack caused people to unite under which leader, after which the term 'Scotland' began to be used? Kenneth MacAlpin
  35. In 1284, King Edward I introduced the Statute of Rhuddlan. What did it do? Annexed Wales to the Crown of England
  36. The Hundred Years War was fought between England and France. How long did it actually last? 116 years
  37. Which English king won the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, where his much smaller army defeated the French? Henry V
  38. How did English judges develop 'common law' in the Middle Ages? By following previous decisions (precedent) and tradition
  39. Who wrote 'The Canterbury Tales', a series of poems about pilgrims travelling to Canterbury? Geoffrey Chaucer
  40. The Wars of the Roses were fought between supporters of which two families? The Houses of Lancaster and York
  41. Which of Henry VIII's wives gave birth to his son, who became Edward VI? Jane Seymour
  42. Which of Henry VIII's wives, the mother of Elizabeth I, was executed at the Tower of London? Anne Boleyn
  43. Which of these was written during the reign of Edward VI and is still used in some Church of England churches? The Book of Common Prayer
  44. Which monarch, a devout Catholic, became known as 'Bloody Mary' because of her persecution of Protestants? Mary I
  45. Elizabeth I was a Catholic who restored the Pope's authority over the Church in England. False
  46. What happened to Mary, Queen of Scots? She fled to England, was held prisoner by Elizabeth I for 20 years and was later executed
  47. Sir Francis Drake's ship, the Golden Hind, was one of the first ships to do what? Sail around the world
  48. Where was William Shakespeare born? Stratford-upon-Avon
  49. When Elizabeth I died in 1603, who became King of England? James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England
  50. What was the 'plantation' of Ulster? Settling Protestant settlers, mainly from Scotland and northern England, on land in the north of Ireland
  51. What was the 'Divine Right of Kings', which James I and Charles I believed in? The idea that the king was directly appointed by God to rule
  52. In which battle in 1645 was Charles I's army defeated? Naseby
  53. After the execution of Charles I in 1649, England became a republic. What was it called? The Commonwealth
  54. After Charles II was defeated by Cromwell's army, where did he famously hide on one occasion? In an oak tree
  55. In which year was the monarchy restored, with Charles II becoming king? 1660
  56. In which year was there a major outbreak of plague in London, the year before the Great Fire? 1665
  57. What did the Habeas Corpus Act of 1679 establish? That every prisoner has a right to a court hearing
  58. Which scientist published 'Principia Mathematica' in 1687, showing how gravity applied to the whole universe? Isaac Newton
  59. Why were the events of 1688, when William of Orange took the throne, called the 'Glorious Revolution'? Because there was no fighting in England
  60. In 1690, William III defeated James II at which battle in Ireland? The Battle of the Boyne
  61. What did the Bill of Rights of 1689 confirm? The rights of Parliament and the limits of the king's power
  62. Who were the Huguenots who came to Britain between 1680 and 1720? French Protestants escaping religious persecution
  63. Who was the first person to be called Prime Minister, holding the post from 1721 to 1742? Sir Robert Walpole
  64. In 1745, Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) landed in Scotland to claim the throne. Where was he defeated in 1746? Culloden
  65. What were the Highland Clearances? The destruction of many small farms in Scotland by landlords, to make space for sheep and cattle
  66. Which Scottish poet wrote 'Auld Lang Syne', which is sung at New Year? Robert Burns
  67. Which thinker of the Enlightenment developed ideas about economics that are still referred to today? Adam Smith
  68. During the Industrial Revolution, what did the Bessemer process make possible? The mass production of steel
  69. Richard Arkwright is remembered for what? Improving the carding machine and running his factories efficiently
  70. Sake Dean Mahomet opened the first curry house in Britain in 1810. What else did he and his wife introduce to Britain? 'Shampooing', the Indian art of head massage
  71. Which religious group set up the first formal anti-slavery groups in Britain? The Quakers
  72. In which year did the American colonies declare their independence? 1776
  73. What does the cross of St Andrew, which forms part of the Union Flag, look like? A diagonal white cross on a blue background
  74. Wales is represented on the Union Flag by the Welsh dragon. False
  75. Isambard Kingdom Brunel was a famous Victorian engineer. Which of these did he build? The Great Western Railway
  76. Where was the Great Exhibition of 1851 held? The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park
  77. Florence Nightingale is often regarded as the founder of modern nursing. During which war did she treat soldiers? The Crimean War
  78. In the middle of the 19th century, what caused a famine in Ireland? The failure of the potato crop
  79. Rudyard Kipling, who wrote 'The Jungle Book' and the poem 'If', won which prize in 1907? The Nobel Prize in Literature
  80. Which event in 1914 triggered the start of the First World War? The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
  81. In which year did Ireland become two countries, with six northern counties remaining part of the UK? 1922
  82. In which year did the BBC begin the world's first regular television service? 1936
  83. Which event in 1939 led Britain to declare war on Germany? Germany's invasion of Poland
  84. In 1940, many civilian volunteers in small boats helped rescue more than 300,000 soldiers from the beaches of which French town? Dunkirk
  85. In the summer of 1940, the German air force tried to win control of the skies over Britain. What is this called? The Battle of Britain
  86. What was 'the Blitz'? The German bombing of British cities during the Second World War
  87. Who discovered penicillin in 1928? Alexander Fleming
  88. Who became Prime Minister when the Labour Party won the 1945 general election? Clement Attlee
  89. The 1942 Beveridge Report proposed fighting five 'Giant Evils'. Which of these was one of them? Idleness
  90. Which politician oversaw the 1944 Education Act, which introduced free secondary education in England and Wales? R A Butler
  91. Dylan Thomas, who wrote 'Under Milk Wood' and 'Do not go gentle into that good night', was a poet from which country? Wales
  92. In 1947, independence was granted to nine countries. Which of these were among them? India, Pakistan and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)
  93. Which Scottish inventor developed television in the 1920s? John Logie Baird
  94. Who invented the jet engine in the 1930s? Sir Frank Whittle
  95. In 1953, scientists discovered the structure of which molecule, with the Englishman Francis Crick part of the team? DNA
  96. Dolly the sheep, the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell, was created in 1996 by which scientists? Ian Wilmut and Keith Campbell
  97. Who invented the cash machine (ATM) and the PIN number in the 1960s? James Goodfellow
  98. In 1978, the world's first 'test-tube baby' was born in Oldham. Which scientists developed the IVF treatment that made it possible? Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe
  99. Who was the UK's first woman Prime Minister? Margaret Thatcher
  100. In 1982, Argentina invaded which British overseas territory, which the UK then recovered? The Falkland Islands
  101. Which 1998 agreement led to the creation of the Northern Ireland Assembly and a power-sharing government? The Good Friday Agreement
  102. In 1832, what did the Reform Act do? Greatly increased the number of people with the right to vote and abolished 'rotten boroughs'

Modern society

  1. When is St David's Day, the national day of Wales? 1 March
  2. Who is the patron saint of Scotland? St Andrew
  3. Bonfire Night on 5 November remembers a plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. True
  4. On Remembrance Day, people wear poppies. What colour are they? Red
  5. What is Hogmanay? New Year's Eve in Scotland
  6. Who is the spiritual leader of the Church of England? The Archbishop of Canterbury
  7. Which is the oldest tennis tournament in the world? Wimbledon
  8. The Grand National, a famous horse race, takes place at Aintree, near which city? Liverpool
  9. In 1954, who became the first man in the world to run a mile in under four minutes? Sir Roger Bannister
  10. Who invented the World Wide Web? Sir Tim Berners-Lee
  11. What is 'Big Ben'? The nickname of the great bell of the clock at the Houses of Parliament
  12. Which is England's largest national park? The Lake District
  13. The Proms, an eight-week summer season of orchestral music, are organised by which organisation? The BBC
  14. What is the capital city of Wales? Cardiff
  15. What is the capital city of Northern Ireland? Belfast
  16. Banknotes issued in Scotland and Northern Ireland are valid everywhere in the UK, although shops and businesses do not have to accept them. True
  17. On which date is St Patrick's Day, the national day of Northern Ireland? 17 March
  18. Whose day is celebrated on 23 April? St George, patron saint of England
  19. St George's Day and St David's Day are official public holidays in England and Wales. False
  20. The Church of Scotland is a Presbyterian church. How is it governed? By ministers and elders
  21. What is the day after Christmas Day called? Boxing Day
  22. What is Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day? The day before Lent starts
  23. What does Easter commemorate for Christians? The death of Jesus on Good Friday and his rising from the dead on Easter Sunday
  24. Diwali, the festival of lights, is celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs. Which city is famous for its Diwali celebrations? Leicester
  25. Hannukah (Hanukkah) is a Jewish festival. How many days does it last? Eight
  26. What does Eid al-Fitr celebrate? The end of Ramadan, when Muslims have fasted for a month
  27. Vaisakhi, which celebrates the founding of the community known as the Khalsa, is a festival of which religion? Sikhism
  28. When is Mothering Sunday? Three weeks before Easter
  29. On April Fool's Day, 1 April, people traditionally play jokes on each other until midday. True
  30. Halloween, on 31 October, has its roots in what? An ancient pagan festival marking the beginning of winter
  31. In which year did England win the football World Cup, with Bobby Moore as captain? 1966
  32. St Andrews, known as the home of golf, is in which country? Scotland
  33. Cricket's famous series of Test matches called 'the Ashes' is played between England and which country? Australia
  34. In which years has London hosted the Olympic Games? 1908, 1948 and 2012
  35. The Paralympic Games have their origins in the work of which doctor at Stoke Mandeville hospital in Buckinghamshire? Dr Sir Ludwig Guttmann
  36. Sir Steve Redgrave won gold medals in five consecutive Olympic Games in which sport? Rowing
  37. Which Paralympian won 16 Paralympic medals, including 11 gold, and won the London Marathon six times? Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson
  38. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean won Olympic gold in 1984 in which sport? Ice dance
  39. Who became the first Briton to win the Tour de France, in 2012? Bradley Wiggins
  40. In 2012, Andy Murray became the first British man to win a singles title in a Grand Slam tournament since 1936. Which tournament did he win? The US Open
  41. Who composed the 'Pomp and Circumstance Marches', which include 'Land of Hope and Glory'? Sir Edward Elgar
  42. Which German-born composer wrote 'Water Music' for King George I and the oratorio 'Messiah'? George Frederick Handel
  43. Benjamin Britten is best known for which opera? Peter Grimes
  44. Which composer wrote the musicals 'Jesus Christ Superstar', 'Evita' and 'The Phantom of the Opera'? Andrew Lloyd Webber
  45. Who wrote the murder-mystery play 'The Mousetrap', which has been staged in the West End since 1952? Dame Agatha Christie
  46. What is a pantomime? A comic musical play, often based on a fairy story, usually performed around Christmas
  47. Which landscape painter is famous for his paintings of Dedham Vale, on the Suffolk-Essex border? John Constable
  48. The Turner Prize, set up in 1984, celebrates which kind of art? Contemporary art
  49. Who designed the Cenotaph in Whitehall, where the annual Remembrance Day service is held? Sir Edwin Lutyens
  50. Who wrote 'Pride and Prejudice' and 'Sense and Sensibility'? Jane Austen
  51. Which author wrote 'Oliver Twist' and 'Great Expectations'? Charles Dickens
  52. Which Scottish doctor and writer created the detective Sherlock Holmes? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
  53. 'The Lord of the Rings' was voted the country's best-loved novel in 2003. Who wrote it? J R R Tolkien
  54. Which poet wrote 'I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud', about seeing a host of golden daffodils? William Wordsworth
  55. Where are many famous poets and writers buried or commemorated, in an area called Poets' Corner? Westminster Abbey
  56. What is haggis, a traditional food from Scotland? A sheep's stomach stuffed with offal, suet, onions and oatmeal
  57. Where is the Eden Project, whose giant greenhouses (biomes) house plants from all over the world? Cornwall
  58. The Giant's Causeway, formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago, is in which part of the UK? Northern Ireland
  59. Who first built the Tower of London, after he became king in 1066? William the Conqueror
  60. Who created the animated characters Wallace and Gromit, winning several Oscars? Nick Park
  61. The Scottish Grand National horse race takes place at which course? Ayr

Government and law

  1. The UK has a written constitution set out in a single document. False
  2. How many Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected to the House of Commons? 650
  3. How often must a general election be held? At least every 5 years
  4. Who keeps order during political debates in the House of Commons? The Speaker
  5. Which government minister is responsible for the economy? The Chancellor of the Exchequer
  6. The UK is one of the five permanent members of which body? The UN Security Council
  7. How many people sit on a jury in Scotland? 15
  8. In England, Wales and Scotland, magistrates usually work unpaid and do not need legal qualifications. True
  9. In 1969, the voting age for men and women was reduced to what age? 18
  10. Members of the House of Lords are elected by the public at general elections. False
  11. Which phrase best describes the UK's system of government? A parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch as head of state
  12. The monarch rules the country and can make laws without Parliament. False
  13. What does the monarch do at the start of each new parliamentary session? Opens it with a speech summarising the government's policies for the year ahead
  14. The monarch has regular meetings with the Prime Minister and can advise, warn and encourage, but decisions on government policy are made by the Prime Minister and Cabinet. True
  15. What is the system used to elect MPs called, where the candidate with the most votes in a constituency is elected? First past the post
  16. The House of Lords can overrule the House of Commons whenever it disagrees with a new law. False
  17. What is the role of the House of Lords? To check laws passed by the House of Commons and suggest amendments or new laws
  18. Since 1958, the Prime Minister has had the power to nominate which kind of peers? Life peers
  19. What is the Prime Minister's official home in London? 10 Downing Street
  20. What is the Cabinet? A small committee of senior ministers chosen by the Prime Minister
  21. Who leads the shadow cabinet? The Leader of the Opposition
  22. Prime Minister's Questions takes place every week while Parliament is sitting. True
  23. Civil servants are appointed by the party in power and are expected to campaign for it at elections. False
  24. Which of these policy areas is controlled by the UK government rather than the devolved administrations? Defence and foreign affairs
  25. Where does the Scottish Parliament sit? Holyrood, in Edinburgh
  26. Where does the Northern Ireland Assembly sit? Stormont, in Belfast
  27. What is Hansard? The official report of what is said in Parliament
  28. By law, radio and television coverage of political parties must be balanced. True
  29. Besides British citizens, which of these groups can vote in all UK public elections if they are resident in the UK? Citizens of the Republic of Ireland
  30. On polling day, polling stations are usually open between which times? 7am and 10pm
  31. Which of these people cannot stand for public office, such as becoming an MP? A member of the armed forces
  32. The Commonwealth has the power to make laws for its member countries. False
  33. What is NATO? A group of European and North American countries that have agreed to help each other if they come under attack
  34. The UK is a member of the Council of Europe. Which convention did the Council draw up? The European Convention on Human Rights
  35. Which Act brought the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law? The Human Rights Act 1998
  36. Which of these is an example of a civil law case rather than a criminal one? A dispute with a landlord about repairs
  37. Which of these is one of the duties of the police? To protect life and property
  38. Judges in the UK take instructions from the government on how to decide cases. False
  39. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, where are serious criminal offences tried in front of a judge and jury? The Crown Court
  40. In Scotland, where are the most serious criminal cases, such as murder, heard? The High Court, with a judge and jury
  41. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, youth courts hear cases against young people of which ages? 10 to 17
  42. In the UK, a man who forces his wife to have sex can be charged with rape. True
  43. Female genital mutilation (FGM) is legal in the UK if the family agrees to it. False
  44. What is a forced marriage? A marriage where one or both people do not or cannot give their consent
  45. What is income tax used to pay for? Government services such as roads, education, police and the armed forces
  46. It is a criminal offence to drive a car without proper motor insurance. True
  47. If you are called to do jury service, you must do it unless you are not eligible or can give a good reason to be excused. True
  48. In which month are local elections for councillors usually held? May
  49. Which of these services do local authorities (councils) provide? Education and refuse collection

Everyday life

  1. Which number do you call in an emergency to reach the police, fire service or ambulance? 999 or 112
  2. What is the minimum age to drive a car in the UK? 17
  3. Every car must pass an MOT test each year from the day it is first registered. False
  4. What are National Insurance contributions used for? To pay for state benefits and services such as the state pension and the NHS
  5. To vote in a UK election, you must have your name on the electoral register. True
  6. It is a criminal offence to sell alcohol to anyone under 18. True
  7. What is the minimum age to go into betting shops or gambling clubs? 18
  8. Dogs in public places must wear a collar showing the name and address of the owner. True
  9. What is council tax used for? Helping to pay for local services provided by the local authority
  10. What is the minimum age to ride a moped in the UK? 16