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Life in the UK Practice Test 13 (2026) — free, with answers

24 original practice questions in the official Life in the UK Test formats — multiple choice, select TWO, TRUE or FALSE and “which statement is correct”. The real test has 24 questions in 45 minutes with a 75% pass mark (18 of 24). Every answer below includes an explanation. Written from the official study material; no log-in, completely free.

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1. How is the Speaker of the House of Commons chosen?

  1. MPs elect the Speaker among themselves by secret ballot
  2. The Prime Minister appoints the Speaker
  3. The monarch appoints the Speaker
  4. Voters elect the Speaker at a General Election
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Answer: A — MPs elect the Speaker among themselves by secret ballot

The Speaker is an MP chosen by fellow MPs in a secret ballot, and remains politically neutral in the chair.

2. What is a by-election?

  1. A fresh contest held when an MP dies or resigns
  2. An election held within the House of Lords
  3. A vote among MPs to choose the Speaker
  4. A public vote on a single national issue
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Answer: A — A fresh contest held when an MP dies or resigns

When a seat falls vacant between General Elections, that constituency holds a by-election to choose a new MP.

3. Under the 'first past the post' system, which candidate wins in a constituency?

  1. The candidate with the most votes
  2. The candidate with more than half of all votes
  3. The candidate chosen by the largest party
  4. The candidate approved by the Speaker
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Answer: A — The candidate with the most votes

First past the post awards the seat to whoever polls the most votes, whether or not that is a majority.

4. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? At a General Election, the voters in each constituency elect one member of Parliament.

  1. TRUE
  2. FALSE
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Answer: A — TRUE

The country is divided into constituencies, each returning a single MP to the House of Commons.

5. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? The House of Lords has the power to overrule the House of Commons.

  1. TRUE
  2. FALSE
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Answer: B — FALSE

It is the Commons that can overrule the Lords, although that power is not used often.

6. Which of the following statements is correct?

  1. The Speaker of the House of Commons is politically neutral and represents no party.
  2. The Speaker of the House of Commons speaks for the governing party in debates.
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Answer: A — The Speaker of the House of Commons is politically neutral and represents no party.

The Speaker chairs debates impartially and must guarantee the opposition its time, despite still serving a constituency as an MP.

7. Which of the following statements is correct?

  1. A General Election is held at least every five years.
  2. A General Election is held at least every three years.
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Answer: A — A General Election is held at least every five years.

Five years is the maximum interval between General Elections.

8. Which TWO of the following are responsibilities of a member of Parliament?

  1. Helping to create new laws
  2. Scrutinising and commenting on what the government is doing
  3. Appointing members of the cabinet
  4. Choosing the head of state
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Answer: A and B — Helping to create new laws; Scrutinising and commenting on what the government is doing

An MP represents everyone in the constituency, helps make laws, scrutinises the government and debates national issues.

9. Which member of the cabinet is responsible for the economy?

  1. The Chancellor of the Exchequer
  2. The Home Secretary
  3. The Foreign Secretary
  4. The Secretary of State for Defence
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Answer: A — The Chancellor of the Exchequer

The Chancellor of the Exchequer holds the government's economic brief.

10. Which member of the cabinet is responsible for crime, policing and immigration?

  1. The Home Secretary
  2. The Foreign Secretary
  3. The Chancellor of the Exchequer
  4. The Speaker of the House of Commons
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Answer: A — The Home Secretary

The Home Secretary takes charge of crime, policing and immigration, while the Foreign Secretary handles relations with other countries.

11. What is the name of the Prime Minister's country house outside London?

  1. Chequers
  2. Balmoral
  3. Sandringham
  4. Stormont
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Answer: A — Chequers

Besides 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister has the use of a country house called Chequers.

12. Which party forms the opposition?

  1. The second-largest party in the House of Commons
  2. The largest party in the House of Lords
  3. The party with the fewest MPs
  4. Any party that is not in a coalition
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Answer: A — The second-largest party in the House of Commons

The second-largest party in the Commons forms the opposition, and its leader usually becomes Prime Minister if it wins the next election.

13. What does the abbreviation CBI stand for?

  1. The Confederation of British Industry
  2. The Council of British Institutions
  3. The Committee for British Investment
  4. The Chamber of British Interests
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Answer: A — The Confederation of British Industry

The CBI is a lobby group that speaks for British business.

14. Which of the following is one of the core values of the civil service?

  1. Impartiality
  2. Party loyalty
  3. Seniority
  4. Private lobbying
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Answer: A — Impartiality

Civil servants are expected to uphold integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality, which includes staying politically neutral.

15. Who appoints senior MPs as 'shadow ministers'?

  1. The leader of the opposition
  2. The Prime Minister
  3. The Speaker
  4. The monarch
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Answer: A — The leader of the opposition

The leader of the opposition names shadow ministers, who together form the shadow cabinet and put forward alternative policies.

16. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? The Prime Minister's official home is 10 Downing Street in central London.

  1. TRUE
  2. FALSE
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Answer: A — TRUE

10 Downing Street, close to the Houses of Parliament, is the Prime Minister's official residence.

17. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? For most local authorities, elections for councillors are held in November every year.

  1. TRUE
  2. FALSE
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Answer: B — FALSE

Council elections for most local authorities take place in May each year.

18. Which of the following statements is correct?

  1. Civil servants are chosen on merit and are politically neutral.
  2. Civil servants are political appointees chosen by the governing party.
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Answer: A — Civil servants are chosen on merit and are politically neutral.

Civil servants serve whichever government is in power, so they are appointed on merit rather than for their politics.

19. Which of the following statements is correct?

  1. Prime Minister's Questions is held every week while Parliament is sitting.
  2. Prime Minister's Questions is held once a month while Parliament is sitting.
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Answer: A — Prime Minister's Questions is held every week while Parliament is sitting.

Prime Minister's Questions gives the opposition a weekly chance to challenge the government in the Commons.

20. Which TWO of the following are pressure or lobby groups that try to influence government policy?

  1. Greenpeace
  2. Liberty
  3. The Home Office
  4. The cabinet
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Answer: A and B — Greenpeace; Liberty

Greenpeace campaigns on the environment and Liberty on human rights; both are organisations outside government that try to influence its policy. The Home Office is a government department and the cabinet is the committee of senior ministers, so both are part of the government itself.

21. How many members does the Senedd have?

  1. 60
  2. 90
  3. 129
  4. 33
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Answer: A — 60

The Senedd has 60 members, elected every four years by a form of proportional representation.

22. Where does the Scottish Parliament sit?

  1. Edinburgh
  2. Glasgow
  3. Cardiff
  4. Stormont
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Answer: A — Edinburgh

The Scottish Parliament, formed in 1999, sits in Edinburgh, Scotland's capital.

23. The present Northern Ireland Assembly was established soon after which agreement?

  1. The Belfast Agreement of 1998
  2. The Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985
  3. The Act of Union of 1922
  4. The Devolution Act of 1997
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Answer: A — The Belfast Agreement of 1998

The Belfast Agreement, also called the Good Friday Agreement, was signed in 1998 and led to the present Assembly.

24. What are the official published reports of parliamentary proceedings called?

  1. Hansard
  2. The Gazette
  3. The Journal
  4. The Register
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Answer: A — Hansard

Hansard records everything Parliament does and can be read in large libraries and online.

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