To wonder if differences between Scotland and rUK are generally known?

[weescotlass]

I see lots of posts about UK and British issues, that seem to refer to England only.

Is it generally understood that Scotland was a separate country pre 1707 and already had its own legal and education system in place, which were retained on the creation of the United Kingdom?

Therefore house buying, school exams, wills, divorce, university degrees, criminal law, policing etc have real distinct differences.

Are people who use the term UK not aware of the differences when refering/advising on something that affects England only?

Genuinely interested and not meaning to cause an argument. I find the differences really interesting, things like inheritance law when people ask about wills, or issues when a buyer pulls out of buying a house. I don't want to comment on new/current controversial legislation!

You forgot bottomless brunch!

Us Scots aren't allowed any all inclusive alcohol deal, because we're idiots. So all the tiktoks with pissed girlies falling into bushes at 1pm are irrelevant up here. Totally different drinking culture.

1st March - 28 Feb, So in order to start school August 2024, a child has to be 4 by 28 Feb this year.

So it's a 6 month difference between Scotland and England/Wales. This is why statements such as "year 5 is the same as P4" are nonsense. Also in practice many parents of children born in Jan/Feb will defer them, so that they will start next year in 2025 aged 5 and a bit.

I think MN does have 'unconscious England bias' but I would guess most users are English.

Even when the OP mentions they are in Scotland or NI the advice given for e.g health care provision, tenancy rights or inheritance etc tends to be the English equivalent.

Just an observation not a criticism.

Yes, aware of differences in education, inheritance, property laws etc.

I don't know all the details but know its different.

I far prefer the Scottish approach with house buying.

the cut off date for kids starting primary 1 is Feb 28 . we don't have reception in Scotland so kids are 4.5/5.5 ish when they start full time school

No bottomless brunches, no BOGOF cocktails at Turtle Bay, no 20% off when you buy 6 bottles of wine at the supermarket.

Because the SNP say it's naughty.

My husband is Scottish, living in England.

So we have a strong interest in matters Scottish.

However, as about 90% of British people live in England, it’s fair to assume questions probably relate to English law.

I moved from England to Scotland and the only thing that caught me out was not knowing the drink drive limit is much lower here. I ordered a cider with lunch and my Scottish friends luckily knew I was driving.

I was aware long before of legal differences, school holiday differences, and some dialect. I have learnt a lot of new words though!

I generally always say I'm UK/British rather than Scotland/Scottish.

I absolutely hate the 'English bashing' aka blatant racism and 'independence at any cost' that our nation is infamous for so that's my mini protest towards.

I do enjoy insisting on calling James I “James the Sixth and First”.

Let's not forget thanks to the SNP that anyone in Scotland earning more than £27k gets to pay more income tax and our personal allowance levels are lower 🥲

There's a significant difference in benefit schemes, Blue Badges, Free School Meals, free prescriptions in Scotland.

Martin Lewis never mentions all the extra things family's can claim up here and he's one of the main sources of info that people trust.

I mean I can say I'm Scottish and not bash an English person and not vote Snp 🤷

Yeah, then when we want to drown our sorrows we have to nip to Carlisle for a booze cruise.

Good old SNP, gift that keeps on taking.

Hence why we fought for (it took some fighting!) and got scotsnet a few years ago.

We really needed a space to discuss Scotland specific issues.

At the time of the Union England's population was only three times that of Scotland's. It has been a deliberate policy of Westminster since to depopulate Scotland.

It has been a deliberate policy of Westminster since to depopulate Scotland

😂😂😂 it has not

And even if it was it's not working given that our population is the highest is ever been and grows every single year

This is very true and mumsnet is very London/ South East orientated
In fact a thread was resurrected just last week about Northerners glamming, up.for a night out ,unlike the ultra cool low key southerners
You wouldn't think the North was a big place with lots of different areas and attitudes.

I’m aware of the differences. I’m in Ireland though 😂

Canadians can sometimes get a bit sniffy about people assuming Americans are only from the USA...

I knew about the legal and education systems, had not realised about bank holidays being more varied plus Sunday opening and alcohol licensing times, especially the 10am limit (buy gifts for hosts the night before!!!)

Or more so, using the term 'America' to mean the US.

I know about the Bank Holidays as we have an office in Scotland and everyone else gets an extra day off at Christmas to compensate for 2 Jan (and they get annoyed when we assume they won't be working late August bank holiday!)

I'm English and married to a Scot, with half his family living there and half in England. So we have a good idea of the differences.

I also know that the Bank of Scotland pre-dates the Bank of England, as I worked at an English branch of the former for a while many moons ago.
The school holidays are different which makes it awkward for arranging get together when children are involved.

Yes there's differences, and other things are the same, it varies - of course with Mumsnet it helps if posters state Scotland at the beginning, this doesn't always happen and that information is in a drip further down the thread, I'm not sure all Scot's even realise the extent of the differences, my relatives didn't until they realised they had a further year of nursery fees due to the cut off!

I know there are differences with things like schools, property, etc. I couldn't actually define which legal areas are Scottish-specific or all UK though, and which bits have always been Scottish due to tradition and which bits became Scottish through devolution.

Really I can't think why most English people would want to look up Scottish law, comparative study of conveyancing systems is not exactly most people's idea of a good time!

I do think it's terrible that it's so expensive to move around in the UK. I'm in the South West, would love to visit Scotland more but France and Wales are much easier and cheaper to get to and stay in. I've been to Scotland maybe 2-3 times in my life.