The vocabulary of the Life in the UK test is unusual — a mix of constitutional terms, historical figures and bureaucratic acronyms. This glossary brings the most-tested terms together in one place.
Constitutional terms
- Constitution — the rules by which a country is governed; the UK has an "uncodified" constitution made up of statutes, conventions and historic documents.
- Sovereignty — the supreme legal authority. In the UK, Parliament is sovereign.
- Devolution — the transfer of certain powers from Westminster to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Royal Assent — the monarch's formal approval of a bill, turning it into an Act of Parliament.
- By-election — an election held to fill a single vacant seat between general elections.
Court and policing terms
- PACE — the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, which sets out police powers and the rights of those arrested.
- Magistrate — an unpaid volunteer who hears minor cases in a magistrates' court.
- Crown Court — the court that hears serious criminal cases, with a jury.
- County court — handles most civil disputes.
- PCSO — Police Community Support Officer, with more limited powers than a constable.
Immigration and citizenship
- ILR — Indefinite Leave to Remain, the right to live permanently in the UK.
- BRP — Biometric Residence Permit, used by many non-EU residents as proof of immigration status.
- SELT — Secure English Language Test, accepted by the Home Office as proof of English ability.
- UKVI — UK Visas and Immigration, the Home Office unit that handles applications.
- Naturalisation — the legal process by which a non-British adult becomes a British citizen.
Cultural and historical terms
- Magna Carta — 1215 charter limiting the power of King John, often called the foundation of the rule of law.
- Glorious Revolution — the bloodless replacement of King James II with William of Orange in 1688.
- Bill of Rights — 1689 Act establishing parliamentary supremacy after the Glorious Revolution.
- Reformation — the 16th-century break from the Catholic Church and the founding of the Church of England.
- Commonwealth — a voluntary association of 56 mostly former British colonies, headed by the monarch.
Keep going
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