UK etiquette

When you first move to the UK, you might feel like a ‘fish out of water’ (a phrase that means you feel lost and confused).
It can take time to get used to the local culture, but people in the UK are very friendly. Hopefully, you will soon settle in. Our tips should help you too:

• Timekeeping
  Being late for a class or a meeting is seen as bad manners here. If you are going to be late for a meeting, let the person you are meeting know if possible. Always aim to arrive 5 minutes early for classes so you can get seated before the lesson begins.
   
• Queuing
  In the UK we queue for EVERYTHING: for trains and buses, in shops, for toilets and sometimes even to enter rooms for classes or meetings. Queuing is seen as being polite and respectful. If there’s a queue… join it!
   
• Tipping
  It is considered polite to leave restaurant waiters and waitresses, hairdressers and taxi drivers a small tip (amount of money) of around 5–10% if you were happy with their service. For example, if your meal cost £30, leave £1.50–£3 as a tip. If the bill states ‘Service included’, there is no need to tip.
   
• Small talk
  When you first meet someone it is sometimes considered impolite to ask people personal details about their age, their political beliefs and how much money they earn. It’s best to avoid these subjects until you are friends.
   
• Parties
  You might be surprised how early parties start in the evenings here. Usually they start around 7, 8 or 9 p.m. It is normal for guests to bring a bottle of drink with them – for example a bottle of fruit juice, lemonade, wine or some cans of beer. You might see on an invite ‘BYOB’ (bring your own bottle). Even if it doesn’t state this, it is considered polite to bring one anyway.
   
• Please, thank you and sorry
  People in the UK use the words ‘please’, ‘thank-you’ and ‘sorry’ a lot! And if you bump into someone it is normal to say ‘sorry’, even if it isn’t your fault! If in doubt, be extra polite.

Thanks very much to the University of South Wales for their contribution to this article.

Article from: http://www.educationuk.org/global/articles/uk-etiquette/