Rights, tax and driving

This page joins rights with everyday legal duties.

Learn it in this order

• Rights history
• Equal opportunities
• Domestic violence, FGM and forced marriage
• Income tax and National Insurance
• Driving rules

The idea

This page joins rights with everyday legal duties.

Learn the rights first, then the practical duties: tax, National Insurance and legal driving.

Test facts to know

• Modern rights are linked to Magna Carta, the Habeas Corpus Act and the Bill of Rights 1689.
• The UK helped draft the European Convention on Human Rights and signed it in 1950.
• The Human Rights Act 1998 incorporated the European Convention into UK law.
• Protected rights include life, freedom from torture, freedom from slavery, liberty, fair trial, freedom of thought and religion, and freedom of expression.
• Equality law protects people from unfair treatment because of characteristics such as age, disability, sex, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sexuality and marital status.
• Domestic violence is a serious crime and emergency help should involve the police.
• Female genital mutilation is illegal in the UK, including taking someone abroad for it.
• Forced marriage is a criminal offence; arranged marriage is different if both people freely agree.
• Income tax funds services such as roads, education, police and armed forces.
• PAYE collects income tax from employment income through employers.
• Self-employed people usually deal with tax through self-assessment.
• National Insurance helps fund state benefits and services such as the state pension and NHS.
• A National Insurance number records tax and National Insurance against a person’s name.
• The minimum age to drive a car or motorcycle is 17, and drivers need a licence, insurance and vehicle registration.
• A non-UK licence may usually be used for up to 12 months before UK licensing rules apply.

How questions may test it

• Link Magna Carta, Habeas Corpus and Bill of Rights to rights history.
• Identify the Human Rights Act 1998 and European Convention on Human Rights.
• Recognise protected characteristics in equality law.
• Distinguish arranged marriage from forced marriage.
• Distinguish income tax, PAYE, self-assessment and National Insurance.
• Identify basic driving age, licence, insurance and vehicle-registration rules.

Key terms

Habeas Corpus Act, Bill of Rights 1689, European Convention on Human Rights, Human Rights Act 1998, equal opportunities, domestic violence, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, PAYE, self-assessment, National Insurance, National Insurance number, DVLA, SORN, MOT.