The United Kingdom operates as a unitary parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy. King Charles III is the head of state, undertaking ceremonial and diplomatic duties, while the Prime Minister is the head of government and exercises executive authority. The government is formed by the party that can command the confidence of the House of Commons.
The UK Parliament, located at the Palace of Westminster in London, is bicameral. It consists of the elected House of Commons, which has 650 Members of Parliament (MPs) representing localized constituencies, and the appointed House of Lords, made up of life peers, hereditary peers, and bishops. The UK does not have a single codified constitution; rather, its constitution is an unwritten amalgam of statutes, conventions, judicial precedents, and treaties.
Since 1999, the UK has operated under a system of devolution. The Scottish Parliament, the Senedd (Welsh Parliament), and the Northern Ireland Assembly hold varying degrees of legislative power over domestic issues such as health, education, and transport in their respective nations, while the UK Parliament in London reserves powers over foreign policy, defense, and most macroeconomic policy. Public services, notably the National Health Service (NHS) and the state education system, are publicly funded and largely free at the point of use.