Go with a plan.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about United Kingdom
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go with a plan.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
Fake Begging Stories
Individuals may approach you claiming to have lost their wallet or train fare to solicit money. This is a common ruse to get cash or trick you into revealing where you keep your wallet.
Bogus Drug Sales
People may offer to sell you drugs, but they have no product and will instead provide a fake parcel before running off with your money. These individuals often carry knives, so avoid them entirely.
Moped Phone Snatchers
Fast-moving moped riders in London snatch mobile phones from pedestrians. Keep your phone secure and ensure anti-theft features are enabled.
Group Mugging Tactics
In Birmingham, muggers often operate in groups where one person distracts you with a question while others move in from behind to force you to the ground. Maintain a clear escape path and avoid walking against walls.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Emergency Call Misuse
It is a crime to call 999 or 112 without due cause, defined as an immediate serious threat to life or safety.
Kerb-Crawling
It is illegal to kerb-crawl while looking for paid sex or to solicit custom. Police actively monitor areas associated with this activity.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Polio
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Measles, Polio, Rabies, Tick-borne Encephalitis
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
The visa policy of the United Kingdom is the policy by which His Majesty's Government determines visa requirements for visitors to the United Kingdom and those seeking to work, study or reside there. The visa policy of the UK also applies to the Crown dependencies of Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man, which each operate their own immigration enforcement and have separate work permit systems. The visa policy does not apply to any of the British Overseas Territories, who generally apply their o
Source: Wikipedia →Right now
In the news the last few days
- Police used batons and pepper spray on far - right protesters in Portsmouth unrest2026-09-07
- Protest organiser confronts Zia Yusuf at scene of Portsmouth migrant arrivals , telling him Farage , needs to be careful with his words 2026-09-07
- Why are far - right masked men protesting at British ports ? 2026-09-07
- Hundreds of protesters descend on Portsmouth after small boat arrival2026-09-06
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
G / D / M · 230V
Driving side
left
Emergency
police: 999 or 112 / ambulance: 999 or 112 / fire: 999 or 112
Tipping
The UK does not have a strong culture of tipping. Locals in the UK usually only tip in limited situations, and usually only as a reward for exceptionally good service, and tips are almost never expected in any circumstance. Visitors from the U.S. and Canada are seen as very generous tippers, and even a bit of a soft touch by some.
SIM / Data
The British use mobile phones for a lot of things, and assume everyone has one with them at all times. Expect to be asked for a mobile phone number when trying to rent a bicycle, have mail forwarded to you, reserve a restaurant table (even when reserving by phone), or many other rather trivial actions.
Cash vs. Card
The currency throughout the UK is the pound (£) (ISO code: GBP). It's more properly called the pound sterling to distinguish it from other pounds, but rarely in everyday speech. It is divided into 100 pence (singular penny) (p). You may also hear the slang term quid for pounds. People often will just say 'pee' instead of pence. "Fiver" and "tenner" are common slang for £5 and £10, respectively.
Zoom in
18 United Kingdom cities on SKETCH.WORLD
Real, resident-submitted Numbeo crime data at the city level — the same national picture above, with crime swapped for what people who actually live there report.
Show the receipts (7 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- reddit — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09