Civic Responsibilities of UK Residents

The handbook is explicit that with rights come responsibilities. Every UK resident is expected to obey the law, treat others with fairness and respect, look after themselves and their family, look after the area in which they live and the environment, register and pay any tax due, and where applicable serve on a jury.

Further reading: an editorial guide on this topic opens in a new window for additional context.

Some responsibilities are legal duties; others are ethical expectations. Failing to register a child for school, dumping rubbish in the street, evading tax or refusing to comply with a jury summons are all unlawful. Helping out at a community group or volunteering is voluntary but encouraged.

Test questions in this area present scenarios — for example a resident refusing to pay council tax, or a parent failing to send a child to school — and ask which one is consistent with the handbook's list of responsibilities. The correct answer is always the one that fulfils the duty.

Test yourself on this topic

These questions from the official-format question bank cover the same material. Tap any question to see the correct answer and a short explanation.

1. As a resident of the UK your responsibilities should be
2. MPs have a number of different responsibilities which includes:
3. Which TWO will you be agreeing with when applying to become a permanent resident?
4. On becoming a UK citizen or permanent resident
5. Which TWO responsibilities should you respect as a resident of the UK?
6. Which two responsibilities will you have as a British citizen?

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