Modern UK society: a modern, thriving society

Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Reviewed by the BritainTest editorial team

Modern UK society is chapter 4 of the official handbook. It covers everyday life and culture in modern Britain: a diverse society and its religions, its customs and festivals, sport, the arts, food and pastimes, money, and famous places to visit. It is the second-heaviest chapter after history, but a lot of it is familiar, so it is friendly to revise. These study notes are part of our Life in the UK study guide.

A diverse society

The UK is a diverse, multicultural society. People have come to live in Britain from all over the world, and that mix shapes its food, festivals and everyday life. A census is carried out across the UK to count the population and learn about it.

The UK is also home to many religions. Christianity is the largest, and the Church of England (also called the Anglican Church) is the established church in England, while the Church of Scotland is the national church there. Other major religions include Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism, and many people follow no religion at all. Everyone has the freedom to practise their faith, or none.

In this chapter: the five topics

This chapter splits into five focused guides, so you can revise the parts the test cares about most. Each goes deeper on the names, dates and details:

The rest of this page covers the chapter topics that sit outside those five guides.

Everyday life: food, pubs and pastimes

Traditional foods differ across the UK. You will find fish and chips and the Sunday roast across the country, haggis in Scotland, Welsh cakes in Wales and the Ulster fry in Northern Ireland.

Popular pastimes include gardening, shopping, cooking and keeping pets. The pub is a long-standing part of social life, and the legal age to buy alcohol is 18. Many people also enjoy days out, watching or playing sport, and visiting the countryside.

Money and the pound

The currency of the UK is the pound sterling (£), and there are 100 pence (p) in a pound. Notes come in £5, £10, £20 and £50, with coins from 1p up to £2. Some banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland issue their own banknotes, which are also valid across the UK.

Places to visit

The UK has many famous places, and several are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Well-known examples include the Tower of London, Stonehenge, the Lake District, Edinburgh Castle and the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. You do not need to memorise them all, but it helps to recognise the most famous landmarks of each nation.

What this chapter tests

Questions here tend to be about specifics: which saint belongs to which nation, when a festival falls, a famous sportsperson or writer, a national dish, or a well-known landmark. Because the chapter is broad, work through the five focused guides above rather than trying to hold it all in your head at once.