Life in the UK · Learn · 30 October 2026 · 6 min read

Parliament, elections and the courts: a Life in the UK revision guide

Revise how Parliament, government, elections, devolution and the courts work for the Life in the UK test, with the key numbers and common mix-ups.

After history, the government and law chapter supplies more Life in the UK questions than any other. The good news is that it is logical. Once you understand who makes the laws, who runs the country and who decides cases, the details fit together.

This guide is built for revision. Each section ends with the facts most likely to be tested.

The big picture

The UK is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch as head of state. Three ideas underpin everything else:

• Parliament makes the laws.
• The government runs the country, and must keep the support of Parliament.
• Judges are independent. They apply the law and are not controlled by the government.

The UK constitution is not written down in a single document. It is made up of laws, conventions and court decisions built up over centuries.

Parliament

Parliament meets at Westminster and has two houses.

The House of Commons

• The Commons is the more important of the two houses.
• Its members are Members of Parliament (MPs), each elected to represent a constituency.
• MPs make laws, debate important issues and scrutinise (examine) the work of the government.
• The Speaker chairs debates. The Speaker is an MP, chosen by the other MPs in a secret ballot, and must remain politically neutral.

The House of Lords

• Members of the Lords, known as peers, are not elected.
• The handbook describes life peers appointed by the monarch on the Prime Minister's advice, some hereditary peers, and senior bishops of the Church of England. Membership rules have been under reform, so for the test, learn the handbook's description.
• The Lords examine and revise laws proposed by the Commons. They can suggest changes and ask the Commons to think again, but the Commons can pass a law the Lords do not agree with.

Key facts: the Commons is elected and more powerful; the Lords is not elected and revises laws; the Speaker is neutral.

The government

• The Prime Minister is the leader of the government, usually the leader of the party with the most MPs. The official home is 10 Downing Street, with a country house called Chequers.
• The Prime Minister appoints the Cabinet, a small group of senior ministers. Key members include the Chancellor of the Exchequer (the economy), the Home Secretary (crime, policing and immigration) and the Foreign Secretary (relations with other countries).
• The second-largest party forms the Opposition. Its leader, the Leader of the Opposition, appoints a shadow cabinet to follow the work of each minister.
• Civil servants carry out the government's policies. They are politically neutral and stay in post when the government changes.

Key facts: Chancellor = economy; Home Secretary = home affairs; the Opposition is the second-largest party.

Elections

• A general election must be held at least every five years.
• Each constituency elects one MP using first past the post: the candidate with the most votes wins, even without a majority of all votes.
• If an MP dies or resigns, a by-election is held in that constituency.
• To vote, you must be on the electoral register. You can register online.
• Voting usually takes place at a polling station, often in a school or public hall. Postal voting is also available.
• Your vote is secret. No one can make you reveal how you voted.

Who can vote? The handbook explains that UK citizens, citizens of the Republic of Ireland and qualifying Commonwealth citizens resident in the UK can vote in UK Parliament elections, from the age of 18 for those elections. Voting rules, including ID requirements at polling stations and the voting age, can change. Check gov.uk for the current rules before you vote.

Political parties

The main parties in the handbook are the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats, and parties that represent particular nations, such as the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru in Wales. Anyone can join a party, and some MPs stand as independents.

Key facts: at least every five years; first past the post; by-election when a seat falls vacant.

Devolved and local government

Some powers have been devolved from Westminster to the other nations since 1997:

The devolved bodies make laws on matters such as health and education. Defence, foreign affairs and most taxation remain with the UK Parliament.

Local councils run services such as schools, rubbish collection, housing and libraries. Many large towns and cities have a mayor.

The courts

Courts are where many test questions are lost, because the names differ between the nations. Learn them in pairs.

Criminal courts

• Magistrates are usually unpaid volunteers from the local community. They do not need legal qualifications.
• A jury has 12 members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 15 in Scotland. If you are called for jury service, you must normally do it.
• Youth courts hear cases involving people aged 10 to 17 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Young people's names are not made public, and members of the public are not allowed in.

Civil courts

Civil cases are disputes between people or organisations, such as unpaid debts or broken contracts.

• County courts deal with many civil disputes.
• The small claims procedure lets people settle disputes over smaller sums without a lawyer. The money limits are set by each part of the UK and can change, so check gov.uk if you ever need it.

The highest court

The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom is the final court of appeal for civil cases in the UK, and for criminal cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Key facts: magistrates for minor cases; Crown Court for serious ones; 12 or 15 jurors; youth courts for ages 10 to 17.

The police

The police protect life and property, prevent disturbances and prevent and detect crime. The handbook also describes Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), who patrol the streets and support the police. The police must obey the law, and complaints about them can be made to an independent body. In an emergency, call 999 or 112.

Common mix-ups

• House of Commons vs House of Lords: only the Commons is elected.
• Speaker vs Prime Minister: the Speaker chairs debates and is neutral; the Prime Minister leads the government.
• Magistrates' court vs Crown Court: minor offences vs serious offences with a jury.
• 12 vs 15 jurors: 15 is Scotland only.
• Civil vs criminal: debts and contracts are civil; theft and assault are criminal.

Revise with tests

Read this guide once, then switch to testing. Take a full test such as Life in the UK test 10 and review every government and law question. For other topics, see our 50 key facts and the study plan. Once the institutions make sense, most of this chapter becomes reliable marks.