United Kingdom
Global financial hub, rich history and unrivalled creative industries
Key Scores
Why people move to United Kingdom
Reserved on the surface, quietly chaotic underneath. Four distinct nations (England, Scotland, Wales, NI) share a Crown and not much else.
People, religion & languages
Native - but accents (Glasgow, Newcastle, West Country) can challenge non-native speakers initially.
Church of England is the established church but practice has fallen sharply. Multi-faith reality in cities.
Very low public visibility. Christmas remains the biggest cultural event regardless of faith.
Culture & etiquette
What locals value and what to watch for
- Queue. Always. Skipping a queue is a serious offense
- Say 'please' and 'thank you' constantly - under-doing it sounds rude
- Take complaints seriously but deliver them politely
- Understand 'sorry' has many meanings (apology, excuse me, sympathy)
- Skipping the queue, even by accident
- Loud talking on the Tube
- Asking direct personal questions on first meeting
- Calling Scotland/Wales 'England' - major offence
London fast and indifferent; small towns slower and more talkative.
Cosmopolitan in cities, especially London/Manchester/Edinburgh. Brexit has tightened immigration; visas more complex post-2021.
Holidays & food culture
Traditional pub fare + 40+ years of curry, kebabs, Caribbean and Polish food = best ethnic dining in Europe.
Lunch 12:30–14:00 (sandwich-heavy), dinner 18:00–20:00.
Vegan and vegetarian mainstream; alcohol culture significant. Curry now arguably the national dish.
Work culture & business norms
Single person, before income tax