## Learning Outcomes

- Identify the main UK taxes you may have to pay and what they fund
- Understand who can vote, how to register, and how voting works on election day
- Recall key historical dates linked to voting rights and the voting age
- Understand parents’ legal duties on children’s education and school attendance

## Life in the UK Test Syllabus

For the Life in the UK Test, you are expected to understand key responsibilities of living in the UK, with a focus on the following syllabus points:

- Identify Income Tax and National Insurance as deductions linked to work and earnings
- Know that Council Tax is a local tax billed by the local authority and that discounts can apply (such as a 25% single-person discount)
- Understand that you must be on the electoral register to vote, and know how polling stations and ballot papers work
- Know who can vote in UK elections (UK citizens and eligible Commonwealth and Irish citizens resident in the UK)
- Recall key voting-rights dates: 1928 (equal voting rights for men and women), 1969 (voting age reduced to 18)
- Understand parents’ duty to ensure their child receives education and attends school regularly when registered

## 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. What are the two main deductions from wages that help fund public services and benefits: Income Tax or National Insurance?
2. What is the electoral register, and why must you be on it before you can vote?
3. What are the opening hours of polling stations on election day?
4. Which groups, if resident in the UK, can vote in all public elections (as taught for the Life in the UK Test)?
5. What happened in 1928 and 1969 that changed voting rights in the UK?

## Introduction

Being part of UK community life includes practical duties that affect everyday living: paying taxes, taking part in democratic elections, and making sure children receive an education. These responsibilities support public services and help communities run fairly.

For the Life in the UK Test, you should know the basics of how taxes are collected and what they pay for, how voting works (including registration), and what the law expects from parents about school attendance.

> **Key Term: Tax**
> Money collected by government (national or local) to fund public services such as healthcare, education, transport, and policing.

### Paying tax in the UK: what you pay and why

Most people in the UK contribute through taxes connected to work, spending, and housing. The test focuses on the main types you are likely to meet as a resident.

> **Key Term: Income Tax**
> A tax on income (such as wages and pensions), usually collected automatically from employees’ pay or paid through a self-reporting system for some people.
>
> **Key Term: National Insurance**
> Contributions linked to earnings from work, used to help fund some state benefits and build entitlement to the State Pension.

#### Income Tax and National Insurance (work-related deductions)

- **Employees** usually pay Income Tax and National Insurance automatically through payroll. Your employer calculates the amount and sends it to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
- **Self-employed** people normally arrange payment through a system where they report income and expenses and then pay what they owe to HMRC.
- These deductions help fund national services and support systems, including the NHS and parts of the benefits and pension system.

You do not need detailed tax bands for the test, but you should understand the general principle: if you work and earn money, you may pay Income Tax and National Insurance.

> **Test Tip:** If a question lists several “taxes”, choose the best match for the situation: wages/earnings usually point to Income Tax and National Insurance; a household property bill points to Council Tax.

#### Council Tax (local tax on your home)

Local authorities (local councils) provide services such as rubbish collection, local libraries, and some social care and community services. A key way councils raise money is Council Tax.

> **Key Term: Council Tax**
> A local tax on domestic property, billed by the local authority to help pay for local services.

Key points to remember:

- Council Tax is linked to where you live (your domestic property), not to your job.
- It is paid to the **local council**. Bills are usually yearly but paid in monthly instalments.
- Some homes receive **discounts or exemptions** depending on the situation.

A common discount:

- **Single-person discount:** If only one eligible adult lives in the property, the bill is usually reduced by **25%**.

Some people are often not counted for Council Tax in discount calculations (for example, many full-time students and people under 18). Rules can depend on circumstances, but the test expects you to know that discounts and exemptions exist.

> **Test Tip:** Watch for “trick” statements such as “only homeowners pay Council Tax”. In many cases, a tenant living in a property is responsible for paying it, depending on the living arrangement.

#### Other everyday taxes you may hear about

You may also see questions that mention other taxes. The test usually expects recognition rather than detailed rules.

- **VAT (Value Added Tax):** added to the price of many goods and services.
- **Vehicle tax (often called vehicle excise duty):** paid for most vehicles kept or used on public roads.
- Duties included in prices (such as **fuel duty**, **alcohol duty**, and **tobacco duty**) are another way government raises money.

The main revision target is to connect each tax to the correct context: income, property, or spending.

### Voting and elections: registering, eligibility, and how to vote

Democracy is a shared value in the UK, and voting is a responsibility of active citizenship. The Life in the UK Test often checks that you know who can vote and the practical steps.

> **Key Term: Electoral register**
> The official list of people who are eligible to vote in elections at a particular address.

#### A short timeline: how voting rights expanded

You may be asked about key milestones in the development of voting rights.

- In the early 19th century, voting was limited mainly to men who owned property.
- In the **1830s and 1840s**, the **Chartists** campaigned for reforms including secret ballots and wider voting rights.
- By **1918**, most of the Chartists’ demands had been adopted, and voting rights were extended to many women (women over 30).
- In **1928**, voting rights were made equal for men and women aged 21 and over.
- In **1969**, the voting age was reduced to **18** for men and women.

These are high-value facts for multiple-choice questions.

#### Who can vote (Life in the UK Test level)

For the test, learn this core statement:

- **Adult citizens of the UK**, and **citizens of the Commonwealth and Ireland who are resident in the UK**, can vote in public elections.

This is the most common phrasing tested. Some details of voting rights can vary by election type and UK nation, but Life in the UK questions generally focus on the headline rule above.

#### Registering to vote

You cannot vote unless you are registered.

- To vote in a parliamentary or local election, your name must be on the **electoral register**.
- You register through your **local council electoral registration office**.
- The register is updated each year (commonly around **September or October**) and households may be asked to confirm who lives there and who is eligible.

Northern Ireland uses a different approach:

- People register individually rather than through one household form.

A typical exam point is simply: you must register, and the local authority is involved.

#### How voting works on election day

Voting is done in person at a local place set up for the election.

> **Key Term: Polling station**
> A place where people go to vote in person, where they receive a ballot paper and put it into a ballot box.

Key practical facts:

- Before an election you are sent a **poll card** telling you where to vote and the date of the election.
- Polling stations are open from **7.00 am to 10.00 pm** on election day.
- Staff ask for your **name and address**.
- In **Northern Ireland**, voters must show **photographic identification**.
- You vote in private using a **ballot paper** in a polling booth and put the completed paper into the **ballot box**.

There is also a values point you should remember:

- Voting is your choice. No one has the right to force you to vote for a particular candidate.

> **Test Tip:** Many questions test procedures. If asked what happens to the completed ballot paper, the best answer is that it is placed in a **ballot box**, not handed to a party worker or taken home.

#### Getting involved beyond voting (quick context)

Elections are not the only way to take part. Other activities include joining political parties and helping your local area. Political party members often help at election time by **canvassing** (speaking to voters and distributing leaflets). You do not have to tell a canvasser how you will vote.

This is sometimes tested as vocabulary or as a “what is canvassing?” question.

### School attendance duties: parents’ responsibilities

Helping children succeed at school is both a family responsibility and a legal expectation. The Life in the UK Test focuses on the basic duty: parents must make sure children receive education and, when enrolled at school, attend regularly.

> **Key Term: Compulsory education**
> The legal requirement for children of school age to receive education, with parents responsible for ensuring this happens.

#### Parents’ legal duty

Core principle:

- Parents must ensure their child receives a suitable education.
- If a child is registered at a school, parents are expected to ensure **regular attendance**.

Schools record attendance, and absence should be explained and authorised where appropriate. Unauthorised absences can lead to action by the school and local authority.

#### What happens if a child does not attend regularly?

The exact enforcement process varies across the UK, but for test purposes you should understand:

- Persistent non-attendance can lead to **fines** and/or **prosecution**.
- Local authorities work with schools and families, and serious cases may go to court.

In England, a parent can be prosecuted for failing to secure regular attendance of a registered pupil. The key exam message is not the legal wording, but the responsibility and that non-attendance can have legal consequences.

#### Your wider role in the school community

Parents are also encouraged to take part in school life, which supports both the child and the community:

- helping in the classroom (for example, listening to children read)
- supporting school events and fundraising
- considering roles in school governance (such as being a school governor or school board member, depending on the UK nation)

These points are sometimes tested under “community involvement” rather than strict legal duties, but they connect directly to the theme of active citizenship.

## Key Point Checklist

_This article has covered the following key knowledge points:_

- Taxes fund public services and include national and local taxes
- Income Tax is paid on income such as wages and pensions and is commonly collected through payroll
- National Insurance contributions are linked to earnings and help fund some benefits and the State Pension system
- Council Tax is paid to the local authority for local services and a 25% single-person discount may apply
- You must be on the electoral register to vote, and registration is handled locally (with individual registration in Northern Ireland)
- Adult UK citizens and resident Commonwealth and Irish citizens can vote in public elections (Life in the UK Test level)
- Polling stations are open 7.00 am to 10.00 pm, and completed ballots go into a ballot box
- Northern Ireland requires photographic ID to vote at the polling station
- Voting rights milestones include 1928 (equal voting rights at 21) and 1969 (voting age lowered to 18)
- Parents are responsible for ensuring children receive education and, when enrolled, attend school regularly; legal action is possible for persistent non-attendance

## Key Terms and Concepts

- Tax
- Income Tax
- National Insurance
- Council Tax
- Electoral register
- Polling station
- Compulsory education


Participation and community involvement - Taxes, voting, and school attendance duties