The Law

Every person in the UK receives equal treatment under the law. This means that the law applies in the same way to everyone, no matter who they are or where they are from.

Laws can be divided into criminal law and civil law. Criminal law relates to crimes, which are usually investigated by the police or another authority such as a council, and which are punished by the courts. Civil law is used to settle disputes between individuals or groups.

Examples of criminal laws include: carrying a weapon (it is a criminal offence to carry a weapon of any kind, even for self-defence, including a gun, a knife or anything made or adapted to cause injury); selling or buying drugs such as heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis is illegal; racial crime — it is a criminal offence to cause harassment, alarm or distress because of someone’s religion or ethnic origin. There are many other crimes, such as murder, theft and assault.

It is illegal to sell tobacco products (for example, cigarettes, cigars, roll-up tobacco) to anyone under the age of 18. It is against the law to smoke tobacco products in nearly every enclosed public place in the UK. It is a criminal offence to sell alcohol to anyone who is under 18 or to buy alcohol for people who are under the age of 18. However, people aged 16 or over can drink alcohol with a meal in a hotel or restaurant.

Some places have alcohol-free zones where you cannot drink in public. The police can confiscate alcohol or move young people on from public places. You can be fined or arrested.

Examples of civil laws include: housing law (disputes between landlords and tenants over repairs and eviction); consumer rights (disputes about faulty goods or services); employment law (disputes over wages and cases of unfair dismissal or discrimination); and debt (people might be taken to court if they owe money).

The job of the police in the UK is to protect life and property, prevent disturbances (also known as keeping the peace), and prevent and detect crime. The police are organised into separate police forces headed by Chief Constables. They are independent of the government.

In November 2012, the public elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales. PCCs are directly elected individuals responsible for the delivery of an efficient and effective police force. They set local police priorities and the local policing budget, and they appoint the local Chief Constable.

Police officers are supported by Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). PCSOs have different roles according to the area but usually patrol the streets, work with the public, and support police officers at crime scenes and major events.

The police force is a public service that helps and protects everyone, no matter what their background or where they live. Police officers must themselves obey the law: they must not misuse their authority, make a false statement, be rude or abusive, or commit racial discrimination, and officers who are corrupt or misuse their authority are severely punished. Everyone is expected to help the police prevent and detect crimes whenever they can. If you are arrested and taken to a police station, a police officer will tell you the reason for your arrest and you will be able to seek legal advice.

If something goes wrong, anyone can make a complaint about the police by going to a police station and writing to the Chief Constable of the police force involved. Complaints can also be made to an independent body in England and Wales, the Independent Office for Police Conduct. In Scotland, if you are unhappy with the way your complaint has been handled, you can contact the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner. In Northern Ireland, you should contact the Police Ombudsman’s Office.

The UK faces terrorist threats, including from groups that try to radicalise and recruit people. If you think someone is trying to persuade you to join an extremist or terrorist cause, you should notify your local police force.

Done reading? Check yourself