Life in the United Kingdom: a guide for new residents

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It led to many changes in government and social structures in England. The English language today shows the influence of Norman French. Find out… There are responsibilities and freedoms which are shared by all those living in the UK. These include respecting and obeying the law.

The civil war between King Charles I and Parliament in the mid-17th century led to Oliver Cromwell being crowned king of England. At the time of the Industrial Revolution, Britain’s colonies expanded in Australia, Canada and southern Africa. The East India Company gained control of large parts of India. Alexander Fleming was born in Scotland, then moved to London, where he qualified as a doctor. He won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1945 for his discovery of penicillin, which is still used to treat bacterial infections today.

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The House of Lancaster beat the House of York at the Battle of Bosworth Field and Henry Tudor became King Henry VII. Find out… Mary, his half-sister, became queen. She was a devout Catholic and persecuted Protestants. Mary died after a short reign and the next monarch was her half-sister Elizabeth. Find out… Queen Elizabeth I was a Protestant. She re-established the Church of England as the official Church in England. Everyone had to attend their local church and there were laws about the type of religious services and the prayers which could be said, but Elizabeth did not ask about people’s real beliefs. She succeeded in finding a balance between the views of Catholics and the more extreme Protestants. In this way, she avoided any serious religious conflict within England. Elizabeth became one of the most popular monarchs in English history, particularly after 1588, when the English defeated the Spanish Armada (a large fleet of ships), which had been sent by Spain to conquer England and restore Catholicism. During this period, Ireland was an almost completely Catholic country. Henry VII and Henry VIII had extended English control outside the Pale and had established English authority over the whole country. Henry VIII took the title ‘King of Ireland’. English laws were introduced and local leaders were expected to follow the instructions of the Lord Lieutenants in Dublin. The Welsh dragon does not appear on the Union Flag because the Principality of Wales was already united with England. Find out…

The British Empire grew to cover all of India, Australia and large parts of Africa. It had an estimated population of more than 400 million people. Between 1853 and 1913, 13 million people left the UK to settle overseas. People from the Empire, including India and Africa, also came to Britain to live, work and study. During Charles II’s reign, in 1665, there was a major outbreak of plague in London. Thousands of people died, especially in poorer areas. The following year, a great fire destroyed much of the city, including many churches and St Paul’s Cathedral. London was rebuilt with a new St Paul’s, which was designed by a famous architect, Sir Christopher Wren. Samuel Pepys wrote about these events in a diary which was later published and is still read today. The war against Japan ended in August 1945 when the United States dropped atom bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The war was finally over. 66 Find out… The Bessemer process for the mass production of steel led to the development of the shipbuilding industry and the railways. Manufacturing jobs became the main source of employment in Britain.A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. Make sure you do the practice test before the start of the official test. This will give you a chance to get a feel of the test and how it works. When you arrive at the testing centre, you need to present a piece of acceptable identification. Ensure that the name and details on your ID correspond with those you provided during the online booking. John Major was Prime Minister after Margaret Thatcher, and helped establish the Northern Ireland peace process. Find out…

Make the date memorable by linking it to personal information – the year you, or a family member or friend, were born or the number of a house where you lived. The first farmers arrived in Britain 6,000 years ago. They built houses, tombs and monuments such as Stonehenge in Wiltshire. Skara Brae on Orkney, off the north coast of Scotland, is the best preserved prehistoric village in northern Europe. The Bronze Age In 1948, Aneurin (Nye) Bevan, the Minister for Health, set up the National Health Service (NHS), which gave health care for all, free at the point of use. Britain was still connected to the continent of Europe until about 10,000 years ago. People were hunters-gatherers and followed the herds of horses and deer which provided their food and clothing. Jane Seymour – Henry married Jane after Anne’s execution. She gave Henry the son he wanted, Edward, but she died shortly after the birth.About the tests you need to take and the documents you must provide as evidence of your language skills. While defending Britain, British forces were fighting the Axis powers (Germany, Italy and Japan) on many other fronts. The Japanese defeated the British in Singapore and then occupied Burma, threatening India. In December 1941, the United States entered the war when the Japanese bombed its naval base at Pearl Harbour. Participation in community life is a fundamental principle of British life. British society is founded on fundamental values and principles which all those living in the UK should respect and support. Judges became independent of government and ‘common law’ developed in England. In Scotland the legal system developed slightly differently. 41 Find out… Parliament chose George I, a German, to be king in 1714. He did not speak good English and needed to rely on his ministers. The most important minister became known as the Prime Minister. Find out…

The final type of question involves selecting two correct answers from four options. You need to select both correct answers to get a point on this type of question. Here is an example of this fourth type of question. Which TWO are famous British artists? If you feel you did not pass the test because of your level of English, you may want to think about going to combined English language (ESOL) and citizenship classes at your local further education college or adult education centre. If you do a course and get a certificate, you The queen of Scotland, Mary Stuart (often now called ‘Mary, Queen of Scots’), was a Catholic. She was only a week old when her father died and she became queen. Find out… Until the 18th century the UK was mainly agricultural. Small-scale industry, such as cloth making, was often found in people’s homes.You will be asked about your needs when you book your test. The test centre will make the necessary arrangements to give you the support you need so you can complete the test. 13 How do I take the test? In the early 20th century, people began to ask questions about the future of the Empire. Some thought it should continue to grow because it brought wealth to the UK and benefited the world. Rudyard Kipling wrote books and poems reflecting the strengths of the Empire. The second type of question involves deciding whether a statement is true or false. Here is an example of this second type of question. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? No, you only have to pass the exam once. Once you've completed the exam and received your Pass Notification certificate, it's valid for life. There is no place for extremism or intolerance. British society is founded on fundamental values and principles which all those living in the UK respect and support.