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The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a king or queen as the head of state and a prime minister as the democratically elected head of government. The Prime Minister ("PM") is not elected directly but is the leader of the largest party or coalition of elected Members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons. After a general election, it is this leader is then invited by the monarch to form a government. MPs are elected in 646 electoral districts (constituencies) from throughout the UK. The upper house of Parliament is the House of Lords. The lords gain their seats either by inheritance of a title (hereditary peers), appointment for life (life peers) or being one of the twenty-six most senior bishops in the Church of England (spiritual peers).

In response to movements in Scotland and Wales for self-determination, both countries have recently formed their own democratic bodies, the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly, with varying degrees of power, mostly concerning with taxation and eduction, while still sending MPs to the UK parliament to London, which remains responsible for all other matters, including international relations. England has no national government of its own, and is directly governed by Westminster; recent years have seen growing concern about this amongst the English, especially since many unpopular laws have recently been imposed on England by Westminster against the vote of English MPs, due mostly to Scottish Labour MPs voting with the government. Northern Ireland was long self-governed in the same manner that Scotland and Wales are today but rising political tensions led to this being dissolved in 1973. Self-government was returned to the province in 2007 as part of the Northern Ireland Act of 1998.

Using Maps and Postcodes

Most basic mapping in the United Kingdom is undertaken by the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain and the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland. The maps found in bookshops may be published directly by those organisations, or by private map publishers drawing on basic Ordnance Survey data.

One consequence of this for the traveller is the widespread use of Ordnance Survey grid references in guide books and other information sources. These are usually presented [xx999999] (eg. [SU921206]) and form a quick way of finding any location on a map. If using a GPS be sure to set it to the British National Grid (BNG) and the OSGB datum.

Alternatively, every postal address has a postcode, either a unique one or one shared with its immediate neighbours. British postcodes take the form (XXYY ZZZ), where XX is a 2 or 1 character alphabetic code representing the town, city or geographic area, a 1 or 2 digit number YY representing the area of that town or city, followed by a 3 digit alphanumeric code ZZZ which denotes the road and a specific section or house on that road. Therefore, a postcode will identify a location to within a few tens of metres in urban locations; and adding a house number and street will identify a property uniquely (at road junctions two houses with the same number may share the same postcode). Most internet mapping services enable locations to be found by postcode. Owing to London's huge size and population it has its own distinct variation of the postcode system where the town code XX is replaced by an area code indicating the geographic part of the city - e.g N-North, WC-West Central, EC-East Central, SW-South West; and so on.

The Ordnance Survey's 1:50000 or 1:25000 scale maps are astonishingly detailed and show contour lines, public rights of way, and access land. For pursuits such as walking, they are practically indispensable, and in rural areas show individual farm buildings and (on the larger scale) field boundaries.

Climate

The UK has a benign humid-temperate climate moderated by the North Atlantic current and the country's proximity to the sea. Warm, damp summers and mild winters provide temperatures pleasant enough to engage in outdoor activities all year round. Having said that, the weather in the UK can be changeable and conditions are often windy and wet. British rain is world renowned, but in practice it rarely rains more than two or three hours at a time and often parts of the country stay dry for many weeks at a time, especially in the East. More common are overcast or partly cloudy skies. It is an idea to be prepared for a change of weather when going out; a jumper and a raincoat usually suffice when it is not winter.

Because the UK stretches nearly a thousand kilometres from end to end, temperatures can vary quite considerably between north and south. Differences in rainfall are also pronounced between the drier east and wetter west. Scotland and north-western England (particularly the Lake District) are often rainy and cold. Alpine conditions with heavy snowfall are common in the mountains of northern Scotland during the winter. The north-east and Midlands are also cool, though with less rainfall. The south-east and east Anglia is generally warm and dry, and the south-west warm but often wet. Wales and Northern Ireland tend to experience cool to mild temperatures and moderate rainfall, while the hills of Wales occasionally experience heavy snowfall. Even though the highest land in the UK rarely reaches more than 1,300 metres, the effect of height on rainfall and temperature is great.

Public & Bank Holidays

Public & Bank Holidays in the UK are days when people don't tend to have to go to work or school. They are a national day off. Depending on where you are in the UK will see a slight variation on the number of bank holidays received. England & Wales receive 8 bank holidays per year, Scotland receives 11 and Northern Ireland receives 10 days. Whenever New Year's Day, Christmas Day or Boxing Day fall on a Saturday or Sunday the bank holiday is carried until the following Monday or Tuesday. The 8 public & bank holiday days that England & Wales receive are: New Year’s Day (1st January), Good Friday, Easter Monday, Early May Bank Holiday (First Monday in May), Spring Bank Holiday (Last Monday in May), Summer Bank Holiday (Last Monday in August), Christmas Day (25th December), Boxing Day (26th December).

Scotland has the same bank holidays as England & Wales but with their Summer Bank Holiday being classed as the First Monday in August (they still receive the last Monday in August off too). They get the 2nd of January too and they also receive St Andrew's Day off which is the 30th November (if this falls on a weekend then this is carried forward to the Monday).

Northern Ireland also have the same bank holiday days as England & Wales but they have St Patrick's Day off which is on the 17th March and also Orangemen's Day (Battle of the Boyne) which is on or after 12th June. A full list of Bank Holidays for future years can be viewed at Bank Holidays

Customs and Goods

The UK has relatively strict laws controlling which goods can and cannot be brought into the country. Particularly stringent laws apply to the movement of animals. The British Isles are rabies-free, and the government (and the people) want to keep it that way. Signs in several languages are displayed prominently at even the smallest of boat landings all around the coast. Owing to the relaxation of some duty laws on alcohol and tobacco when travelling across EU borders, it has become popular among the British to bring back large quantities of such goods bought tax-free in Continental Europe in recent years. However, the practice has become open to abuse, with many trying to illegally import large amounts for the purposes of selling on at a profit. Customs laws are therefore strict for the bringing of alcohol and tobacco and if a Customs officer thinks that the amount you are trying to bring into the country from the EU is excessive, you may be questioned further, or be asked to prove that it is for your own consumption. The fines can be severe, and you also run the risk of the goods (and the vehicle they are being transported in) being confiscated.

Cost

The United Kingdom is an expensive country even for the British, although the Pound's somewhat dramatic recent falls against many currencies, especially the Euro, are helping some overseas tourists who are finding things are now cheaper than they are in their home countries. However, the high cost of basics such as transport, accommodation and food means that you'll spend around £50 per day as a budget traveller and more if you want to afford luxuries such as taxis, 3 star hotels, and meals in restaurants.

London and the South East is up to three times as expensive as other parts of the country. Further North things are more reasonably priced, although some groceries, goods and services can be more expensive than average in Northern Ireland.

Money

The currency throughout the UK is the Pound (£) (more properly called the Pound Sterling, but this is not used in everyday speech), divided into 100 pence (p).

As of March, it trades at around US$1.40 and €1.10 per pound. The pound has wildly fluctuated in the past few months (after coming down from highs of $2 per pound), though, so it is important to keep a close eye on the exchange rates.

Coins appear in 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2 denominations, while Bank of England notes (bills) come in £5 (blue), £10 (orange), £20 (purple) and £50 (red), and depict the Queen on one side and famous historical figures on the other. The size increases according to value. However, Scottish and Northern Irish banks issue their own notes in the above denominations, with their own designs. There are a few banks issuing notes in these areas. If in doubt, check what you are given for the words "Pounds Sterling". £100 notes and some old £1 notes are also in circulation in Scotland. Bank of England notes circulate freely in the whole of the United Kingdom, and in Scotland and Northern Ireland it is quite common to receive change in a mixture of English and/or Scottish or Northern Irish notes. Welsh banks do not issue their own notes. Some vendors may refuse to accept Scottish and Northern Irish notes outside their respective countries, even though they are legally exchangeable equivalents in the whole UK and are Sterling. Larger retailers in major cities in England and Wales, and in some port towns, might not bat an eyelid when faced with a Scottish or Northern Irish note, but it is best to avoid confrontation with a smaller retailer and exchange any notes at a bank if required.

Coins are uniform throughout the United Kingdom. Non-English speaking visitors should be aware that the new coin designs (introduced from 2008) no longer show the value in numbers, only words.

You may also hear the slang term quid for pounds. It is both singular and plural; "three quid" means "three pounds". It is likely that people will use the slang "p" when they mean either a penny or pence. Note the singular is penny and the plural pence. Some people still use traditional terms such as a penny, tuppence and thruppence (1p, 2p and 3p). The words "Fiver" and "Tenner" are common slang for £5 and £10, respectively.

In general, shopkeepers and other businesses in the UK are not obliged to accept any particular money or other method of payment. Any offer to purchase can simply be refused; for example if you try to pay with notes or coins they don't recognise. If in doubt, ask someone when you enter the shop. If settling a debt, for example, paying a restaurant or hotel bill, usually any reasonable method of payment will be accepted unless it's been made clear to you in advance how you must pay. However, travellers cheques are never accepted in place of cash.

The £50 note is best avoided; very few establishments will accept a £50 note, even for purchases of £50 or more, due to their rarity and the risks of forgery for such large notes, and also because of the problem of providing change for £50 notes in smaller shops. Most high street banks will not change notes or coins unless you have an account with them; this is very annoying if you have a legitimate £50 note that no shop will accept! However, you can have your money changed, without paying commission or owning an account, at certain post offices. Also, use a credit or debit card for purchases over approximately £100. Do not carry large quantities of cash notes around - many £10 or £20 pound notes are not always accepted if paying for items over approx £100.

ATMs, which are often known in the UK as Cashpoints, cash machines or informally as 'holes in the wall', are very widely available and usually dispense £10 and £20 notes. Traveller's cheques can be exchanged at most banks. Be aware: some non-bank ATMs (easily identified, sometimes kiosk-style units, as opposed to fixed units in walls, and often at petrol/gas stations and convenience stores) charge a fixed fee for withdrawing money, and your home bank may as well. On average the cost is about £1.75 per withdrawal, but the machine will always inform you of this and allow you to cancel the transaction.

Visa, Mastercard and Maestro are accepted by most shops and restaurants, although American Express is usually accepted only in large stores, and it is worth asking if unsure, especially if there are long queues. Since February 14, 2006, Chip and PIN has become nearly compulsory, with few companies still accepting signatures when paying by credit or debit cards. Customers from countries without chips in their credit cards are supposed to be able to sign instead of providing a PIN; however, it is wise to carry enough cash in case the retailer does not comply.

Visitors to only England and Wales should not experience any difficulties as notes used here are circulated by the Bank of England. These notes are also both accepted and circulated in both Scotland and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, notes printed by the Bank of Scotland, Royal Bank of Scotland and Clydesdale Bank are more common. Scottish notes are both accepted and circulated without problems in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland can be the most confusing, as there are four different types of Northern Irish bank notes. These are accepted and sometimes circulated in Scotland without any problems and should be accepted in larger retailers in the major English and Welsh cities but are never circulated there.

There is no exchange rate between English, Scottish and Northern Irish pounds as they are all Sterling, but visitors, especially to Northern Ireland, should be wary if they choose to change their notes to Bank of England as the major ports and airports will charge for this service. You are advised to change such notes in hotels or banks, where notes are changed pound for pound with no charge. Occasionally major retailers with outlets in all four UK regions will also do this without charge if asked. More often than not, small retailers will do this for you if you are buying something, depending on how many Bank of England notes they have. If unfamiliar with the currency it is perhaps wise to try and stick to Bank of England notes and Scottish and Northern Irish shopkeepers will not be offended if asked to give such notes in change, though it may not always be possible.