First time in Britain?
Language
English is spoken everywhere and non-speakers can have a difficult time – a recent survey found that only 10% of British workers spoke a foreign language. However, even if you only know a little English, people will usually try to work out what you mean.
Welsh is spoken in Wales (road signs are bilingual) and you may hear Gaelic spoken in parts of Scotland
Weather
Talking about the weather is the time-honoured way to start a conversation in Britain – the climate is changeable and it's always a good idea to be prepared for rain. Summers are cooler than in mainland Europe but winters are milder. The average temperature in London is just above freezing in January and rises to around 22C (71F) in July.
Driving
Vehicles use the left side of the road in Britain, and manual gear-change is standard – if you're used to driving on the right, using an automatic shift gives you one less thing to worry about.
For details of speed limits, visit the Highway Code website.
Most filling stations are self-service - if you're hiring a car remember to check whether it uses diesel or unleaded petrol
Electricity
UK mains electricity is 230V, 50Hz AC, and plugs have three square pins ('Type G').