Life in the UK Test Government and Law Questions
Chapter 5 of the handbook · 141 practice questions with an explanation for every option
24 questions from all five chapters in 45 minutes, with your score for government and law so you know where you stand.
Free government and law drillIs this statement true or false? In Northern Ireland, the Assembly works on a power-sharing basis, with a First Minister and a deputy First Minister from different communities.
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Chapter 5: The UK government, the law and your role
Chapter 5 explains how the UK is governed and what the law expects of you: the constitutional monarchy, Parliament and elections, the government and devolved administrations, the police and courts, your rights, tax and driving, and how to play a part in your community.
- On the real test
- Questions come only from the handbook; the Home Office does not publish how many come from each chapter
- On our mock exam
- 7 of 24 questions, with your score for this chapter in the result
- Our drill
- 10 questions from 141 government and law questions, untimed, a note on every option after each answer; one free attempt, unlimited with a pass
What chapter 5 covers
- The constitution and the monarch’s role as head of state
- Parliament: the House of Commons and its 650 MPs, the House of Lords, the Speaker and the whips
- Elections and the government: first past the post, the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, the opposition and the civil service
- Devolution: the Scottish Parliament, the Senedd in Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly, and local government
- The law: criminal and civil law, the police, the courts, juries and human rights
- Your role: voting, tax and National Insurance, driving, volunteering and looking after the environment
Sit 24 questions under the 45-minute clock
24 questions from all five chapters in 45 minutes, with your score for government and law so you know where you stand.
Free government and law drillHow to revise it
- Learn the courts by country: magistrates’ and Crown Courts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Justice of the Peace and Sheriff Courts in Scotland.
- Learn who does what in government: the Chancellor, the Home Secretary and the Foreign Secretary.
- Learn the numbers that recur: 650 MPs, 129 members of the Scottish Parliament, polling stations open 7 am to 10 pm, juries of 12 (15 in Scotland).
Common questions
Is chapter 5 the hardest part of the test?
Many candidates find it the least familiar, because it is about how institutions work rather than stories. Drill it often: it is seven of the 24 questions on our mock test.
Do the questions cover the law in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
Yes. Several questions ask how a court or a rule differs between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, such as jury size and the youth justice system.
24 questions from all five chapters in 45 minutes, with your score for government and law so you know where you stand.
Free government and law drillThe other handbook chapters
Sources
- GOV.UK: Life in the UK Test (24 questions, £50, booking, ID, exemptions)
- GOV.UK: What happens at the test (45 minutes, 75% pass mark, if you fail)
- GOV.UK: Prepare for the test (only tested on the official handbook)
- Official Life in the UK study materials (handbook, study guide, practice questions, e-learning)
Original practice questions written from the content of the official handbook, Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents (3rd edition). They are not the official question bank. Independent practice, not affiliated with or endorsed by the Home Office or UK Visas and Immigration.