Top 10+ things you can do in the UK but you can’t do in the US

The UK and the US might have their similarities but scratch below the surface and you'll find two very different nations indeed. Because US visitors or those from the States who take up residence in the UK might find themselves surprised by some of the things they can do on one side of the pond that would be a no-no over there - either legally, culturally or simply on a practical level. Let's take a look at some of the things you can do in the UK that you wouldn't dream of doing in the good old US of A... (Picture: Getty Images)

1. Jaywalking

Let's kick off with something you might well do in the US - but technically you shouldn't. Jaywalking - the act of crossing the road outside of the crosswalk or against the lights - is illegal in many US states (although you can now do it legally in New York following a change in the law in October). And while many places don't bother to enforce the rule, you could still face a fine if you're caught doing it. Over in the UK, meanwhile, while crossing the road in this manner is not encouraged, there's no law against it (so much so that there isn't even a specific British term for the act of crossing against the lights). The only place you're not allowed to do this is on motorways and roads with a 'no pedestrians' sign. And let's face it, you wouldn't want to cross those on foot anyway...(Picture: Getty Images)

2. Eat a Kinder egg

From alcohol we move on to something altogether more innocent - the humble Kinder Egg, that sweet treat which provides you with both chocoate and a surprise plastic toy. What's not to like? Well, they might be widely available in the UK but in the US they're a big no-no,
due to the 1938 Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act which bans items containing a 'non-nutritive object in food'. All of which makes them persona non grata, given the plastic casing hiding the toy beneath the chocolate. Oh, and even though you can get them in neighbouring nations such as Canada and Mexico, it's also illegal to import them. So don't even think about it (Picture: Gerardo Vieyra/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

3. Watch live TV without adverts

TV advertising is big business in the US, with the networks fair dominated by one ad after another. According to the Mock, advertising agency ads take up around 12-17 minutes of every hour of live US TV (which is an awful lot of commercials when you're trying to watch a half-hour show). Over in the UK? Well we have telly ads too - but equally we can also settle down in front of BBC channels, which might bombard you with trailers for other shows between programmes but still remain resolutely ad-free (Picture: Getty Images)

4. Drink alcohol under the age of 21

Heading down the pub and ordering your first pint or glass of bubbly on your 18th birthday is a rite of passage for many in the UK - but it's not something you can do to celebrate turning 18 in the US. There, the legal drinking age is 21, as set by the Federal Uniform Drinking Age Act of 1984, although there are some exemptions across the country - such as drinking alcohol for religious ceremonies, or for medical purposes. Some states also allow under-21s to drink if they are with a family member who is above the legal age - but the rules vary from one state to another so it's always best to double check if you have any trips planned which might involve a pint or two (Picture: Getty Images)

5. Have a black pudding with your fry-up

This might be a popular staple of your standard UK fry-up but you'll struggle to find black pudding to pop with your eggs and bacon if you're cooking up a breakfast in the US. The official line is that black pudding imported from other parts of the world is a no-no for 'sanitary reasons' - although US versions of the dish, known there as 'blood sausage' do exist. Even if it's not quite the same (Picture: Getty Images)

6. Get medical treatment for free

Need medical treatment in a hurry? Have to have surgery? If you're in the US and a hospital stay or a trip to the doctor figures in your future, then chances are it won't come cheap. While free or low-cost healthcare is available for certain groups, such as low-income families or people with disabilities, for the most part if you get sick or need treatment, it could put a serious dent in your bank account (especially if you don't have health insurance). In the UK? You might have a bit of a wait - but as long as you are 'ordinarily resident' in the UK, you can get the vast majority of medical treatment for free on the NHS (Picture: Getty Images)

7. Walk everywhere

So we're not saying nobody walks anywhere in the US - think big cities such as New York for example -but there are still many more places there which are only accessible by car, while 2023 research from Virginia Tech and Rutgers University found that just 12% of all trips in the US are walked. In the UK, meanwhile, we're far more accustomed to hopping on the bus, taking the Tube or just walking to the local high street or wherever we want to go. So much so that one expat on Reddit admitted the thing they missed most about the UK was 'it being normal to walk about'. A second added: 'Much of the US is definitely not designed with pedestrians in mind (Picture: Getty Images)

8. Take maternity leave

If you're awaiting the patter of tiny feet and you happen to be in the UK, well you're in luck. It means you can look forward to several months of maternity leave to bond with your new arrival, which can vary depending on where you work and what they offer. In the US though, it's a different story, and one which hasn't escaped the notice of Brits living there. 'When I tell Americans I get 12 weeks they exclaim how lucky I am,' one said. 'I then tell them that in the UK I would have got 9 months, including time off before the baby to get ready. Here I was in labour at work, finished my shift and gave birth the following morning'. And as an added bonus you get to give birth for free in the UK, thanks to the NHS - whereas in the US you can expect a big hospital bill, which is likely to spiral even further if you need intervention such as a C-section (Picture: Getty Images)

9. Carry a beer in your car

This is a bit of an odd one, but if you're driving in the UK and your passengers have a bottle of beer or other alcohol in an unsealed container, nobody would bat an eyelid (unless you're drinking and driving which is of course highly illegal and dangerous). In the US however, the mere act of having the open bottle in your moving vehicle - even if you're not drinking it, or none of your passengers are - is enough to get you arrested. This is down to the 'open container laws' across much of the US which prohibit possessing or consuming an open bottle or can of alcohol in public (except in certain circumstances which vary according to state and city). These apply in all but 11 states (Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware and Wyoming among them) - meaning that even if you haven't touched a drop you could still be in trouble (Picture: Getty Images)

10. Tuck into haggis

Finally, let's pay a debt to the humble haggis, the staple of any Burns Night supper, because while it might be acceptable in the UK, you'll have to find an alternative if you're celebrating in the US since haggis is definitely off the menu there. This is largely due to a 1971 law which prevents the sale of sheep's lungs - which make up around 10-15% of the traditional recipe. The ban refers to all lungs, amid concerns that phlegm and stomach acid could enter them during slaughter. That's not to say you can't get haggis in the US at all as makers have got round the ban by using other ingredients such as lamb meat rather than offal. But the authentic Scottish recipe? You'll have to get on a plane and head to the UK if you want it (Picture: Getty Images)