## Learning Outcomes

- Identify which representative to contact: MP, local councillor, or devolved representative (MSP, MS, MLA)
- Explain how to contact an MP, including using constituency offices and local surgeries
- Understand what a petition is and what it can achieve in UK democracy
- Recall key petition rules and the 10,000 and 100,000 signature thresholds
- Recognise when it may be useful to both contact a representative and support a petition on the same issue

## Life in the UK Test Syllabus

For the Life in the UK Test, you are expected to understand how UK residents can participate in democracy by contacting elected representatives and using petitions, with a focus on the following syllabus points:

- Know that elected members have a duty to represent their constituents, and how to find their contact details
- Identify the main ways to contact an MP, including letters, phone calls, and local constituency surgeries
- Distinguish between issues for local councils (local services), MPs (UK Parliament/UK Government matters), and devolved representatives (devolved responsibilities)
- Understand what a petition is and what it is used for in a democracy
- Recall the official petition thresholds: 10,000 signatures for a government response and 100,000 signatures for consideration for a House of Commons debate

## Test Your Knowledge

_Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, look more closely at that area during your revision._

1. Who represents a constituency in the House of Commons?
2. What is a constituency surgery?
3. If you want change on a UK-wide issue, what are two democratic actions you can take?
4. What happens when an official UK Parliament petition reaches 10,000 signatures?
5. Does reaching 100,000 signatures guarantee a debate in the House of Commons?

## Introduction

A key part of living in a democratic country is knowing how to raise concerns lawfully and effectively. In the UK, you can do this by contacting your elected representatives and by supporting petitions that ask the UK Government or Parliament to take action.

The Life in the UK Test checks that you understand the basic roles of representatives (such as MPs and councillors) and that you know how petitions work, including what they can and cannot do.

> **Key Term: elected representative**  
> A person chosen by voters to speak and act on their behalf in government, such as an MP, local councillor, MSP, MS (Senedd Member), or MLA.

### Who your representatives are (and who to contact)

In the UK, different elected representatives deal with different kinds of issues. A common exam idea is choosing the correct person to contact.

> **Key Term: Member of Parliament (MP)**  
> An elected representative for a Westminster constituency who sits in the House of Commons.
>
> **Key Term: constituency**  
> A geographical area that elects one MP to represent it in the House of Commons.

#### MP (Westminster): national and reserved matters

Your MP represents you in the UK Parliament (Westminster). MPs deal with matters handled by the UK Parliament and UK Government, for example:

- immigration and visas
- defence and foreign affairs
- many national laws and UK-wide policy decisions
- national taxation decisions (set by the UK Government)

MPs also help constituents with problems involving government departments or agencies by writing letters, asking for explanations, and chasing delays.

#### Local councillor: local services and local council decisions

Local councillors are elected to local councils (also called local authorities). Councils handle many everyday local services, such as:

- refuse collection (bins and recycling)
- council housing and many housing services
- local planning decisions
- some local roads, parking rules, and local facilities (parks, leisure centres)

If your issue is about a service provided by the council, the most direct route is often your council (using its complaint process) or your local councillor.

#### Devolved representatives (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)

If you live in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, many policy areas are decided by devolved institutions. That means you may need a devolved representative instead of (or as well as) your MP.

> **Key Term: devolution**  
> The transfer of certain powers from the UK Parliament in Westminster to devolved institutions in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

The main devolved representatives are:

- Scotland: MSPs (Members of the Scottish Parliament)
- Wales: Senedd Members, also called MS
- Northern Ireland: MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly)

Devolved matters often include major public services such as health and education, although the exact division of powers differs across the UK.

> **Test Tip:** If a question asks “Who should you contact?”, look for clues like “local council service” (councillor) versus “UK-wide law/immigration” (MP) versus “devolved service in Scotland/Wales/NI” (MSP/MS/MLA).

### How to contact your MP and what “surgeries” are

You should know that elected representatives can be contacted and that MPs often meet constituents at local appointments.

#### Finding contact details

You can find the contact details of your representatives through official sources such as the UK Parliament website, and also in public places like libraries. MPs and other representatives are public figures with published office contact information.

#### Ways to contact an MP

You can contact your MP:

- by letter or telephone through their constituency office (the local office in the area they represent)
- by contacting their office at the House of Commons in Westminster (London SW1A 0AA, telephone 020 7129 3000)
- by email (many MPs provide an email address)
- by attending a constituency surgery (usually by appointment)

MPs represent all constituents in their area, not only people who voted for them.

> **Key Term: constituency surgery**  
> A regular local session where an MP meets constituents (often by appointment) to discuss problems or concerns.

Surgeries are commonly advertised locally. If you want to attend, you normally contact the MP’s constituency office to request an appointment and explain your issue briefly.

#### What information you should provide

MPs generally expect you to provide enough details to show you are a constituent and to understand your case. In practice, that usually includes:

- your full name and address (including postcode)
- a short, clear description of the problem
- important dates (for example, when you applied, when a decision was made, or when you complained)
- any reference numbers from a government department, council, or agency

#### What MPs can and cannot do

MPs can be very helpful, but they do not control every decision. For the test, remember these basic limits:

- MPs can raise issues with departments and ask for explanations.
- MPs cannot act as your lawyer or give formal legal advice.
- MPs cannot interfere with judges or change the outcome of court cases.
- MPs cannot normally take on casework for people outside their constituency.

> **Test Tip:** If an answer option suggests an MP can “overrule the courts” or “make a department decide in your favour,” treat it as suspicious. MPs can investigate and ask questions, but they do not personally decide most cases.

### Petitions: what they are and how they work

Petitions are a traditional way for people to ask decision-makers to act. The Life in the UK Test focuses on what petitions are used for and the key thresholds on the official UK Parliament petitions system.

> **Key Term: petition**  
> A formal request, supported by signatures, asking the UK Government or Parliament to take a specific action.

#### What petitions can achieve

A petition:

- shows public support for an idea or concern
- can attract attention from the UK Government or MPs
- may lead to an official response or a debate being considered

A petition does not automatically change the law. Changing laws usually requires a formal process through Parliament.

#### Official UK Government and Parliament petitions (e-petitions)

The official online petitions system is used to request action from the UK Government or the House of Commons. Petitions are checked to make sure they meet the rules before they are published.

Key points candidates should remember:

- You must be a British citizen or a UK resident to start or sign an official petition.
- Petitions must ask for a clear action by the UK Government or the House of Commons.
- A petition must be about something that UK Government/Parliament is responsible for (not only a local council issue, and not only a devolved matter).
- Petitions must be written in moderate, respectful language.

#### Signature thresholds you must know

Two numbers are especially likely to be tested:

- **10,000 signatures:** the UK Government will respond in writing.
- **100,000 signatures:** the petition will be **considered** for a debate in the House of Commons.

Reaching 100,000 signatures does not guarantee a debate. The decision is made by the House of Commons Petitions Committee, and it depends on factors such as whether the issue has already been debated recently.

#### Common reasons petitions are rejected (exam-friendly)

If a petition does not meet the rules, it may not be published. Typical reasons include:

- it asks for action on something outside UK Government/Parliament powers (for example, a purely local council decision)
- it is a duplicate of an existing petition asking for the same action
- it includes offensive or defamatory content
- it concerns ongoing legal proceedings (matters before the courts)

These rules exist to keep petitions focused, lawful, and fair.

#### Practical difference: petition vs contacting your representative

Both are democratic actions, but they work differently:

- **Contacting an MP/councillor:** often best for individual problems (casework) and local issues.
- **Petitioning:** often best for showing wider public support for a UK-wide change or national policy.

Sometimes people do both: contact their MP to explain the issue and also support a petition about the same topic.

Using both methods together can increase the chances that an issue is noticed, because your MP can point to the petition as evidence of wider concern, while the petition shows that the matter affects many people, not only one individual.

## Key Point Checklist

_This article has covered the following key knowledge points:_

- An MP is elected to represent a constituency in the House of Commons
- Elected representatives have a duty to represent their constituents
- You can find representatives’ contact details through public sources such as the UK Parliament website and libraries
- MPs can be contacted by letter, phone, email, and through constituency offices
- MPs often hold constituency surgeries where constituents can raise concerns in person
- Local councillors deal with local council services; devolved representatives (MSP/MS/MLA) deal with devolved matters in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
- A petition is a formal request supported by signatures asking for action
- On the official petitions system, 10,000 signatures leads to a government response
- 100,000 signatures means the petition is considered for a House of Commons debate, but a debate is not guaranteed
- Petitions must be about UK Government/Parliament responsibilities and must use respectful language
- Contacting an elected representative is usually best for personal or local issues, while petitions are better for showing wider public support on national matters

## Key Terms and Concepts

- elected representative
- Member of Parliament (MP)
- constituency
- devolution
- constituency surgery
- petition


Participation and community involvement - Contacting representatives and petitions