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Year 11

How is local democracy different to national government?

I can explain what local and national government is and the main differences between them.

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New
New
Year 11

How is local democracy different to national government?

I can explain what local and national government is and the main differences between them.

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These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The national government is overseen by the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
  2. The main responsibilities of the national government are to oversee the UK economy and implement policies.
  3. The main responsibilities of local government are education, housing and public services.
  4. There are differences in geographical area, roles and responsibilities and decision-makers.

Keywords

  • Government - the group of people with the authority to govern a country; in the UK, the Government is chosen and led by the Prime Minister (PM)

  • Economy - how a country’s or area’s goods and services are produced, consumed, and exchanged, and how money is supplied and managed

  • Policies - courses of action or goals that individuals, groups or governments plan to achieve, or are in the process of implementing

Common misconception

Local and national governments have the same powers.

The national government have broader powers and devolves some of this to local governments.


To help you plan your year 11 citizenship lesson on: How is local democracy different to national government?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Adapt scenarios and examples to your own local context to help pupils to see the difference between central and local government.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Who is the head of the UK Government?
the Speaker
the Lords
the Mayor
Correct answer: the Prime Minister
Q2.
The UK Parliament is made up of parts.
Correct Answer: 3, three
Q3.
Which part of UK Parliament's main aim is to scrutinise and revise proposed bills?
House of Commons
Correct answer: House of Lords
monarchy
Q4.
Power is separated through the executive, and judiciary branches in the UK.
Correct Answer: legislative
Q5.
Match the branch of power to what it involves.
Correct Answer:executive,the Government
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the Government

Correct Answer:judiciary,the courts and judges
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the courts and judges

Correct Answer:legislative,the law-making body, e.g., UK Parliament
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the law-making body, e.g., UK Parliament

Q6.
Which of the following is an example of how the executive branch are held accountable?
The monarch approves all government decisions made by the Prime Minister.
Correct answer: Members of Parliament (MPs) can question the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Law makers create new laws based off of judges decisions.

6 Questions

Q1.
The local focuses on services like schools and housing in specific regions of the UK.
Correct Answer: government
Q2.
Which of the following is a responsibility of central government?
Correct answer: creating laws for the entire country
running local schools in every town
managing waste collection in local areas
organising community events
Q3.
Which of the following is a responsibility of local government?
deciding how the national budget is spent
creating laws for the entire country
overseeing the country's economy
Correct answer: providing public services like education and housing
Q4.
The people that make decisions in central government are called government .
Correct Answer: ministers
Q5.
Which of the following are differences between national and local government?
Correct answer: the areas they cover
Correct answer: the power they have
the citizens they represent
Q6.
Match the minster to their department.
Correct Answer:Secretary of Education,Department for Education
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Department for Education

Correct Answer:Secretary of Health,Department for Health and Social Care
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Department for Health and Social Care

Correct Answer:Secretary of Transport,Department for Transport
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Department for Transport

Correct Answer:Chancellor of the Exchequer,HM Treasury
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HM Treasury