Which entities are part of the UK government?

Okay, let's break down who actually makes up the UK government. It's easy to get confused because there are so many organizations involved in public life. Think of the government as the people directly responsible for running the country day-to-day. This includes two key parts: the civil service and the cabinet. The civil service is the body of officials who implement government policy and deliver public services. They're the non-political, professional administrators. Then you have the cabinet, which is made up of senior government ministers, chosen by the Prime Minister. They are the key decision-makers, setting the direction of government policy. Organizations like the National Trust, while important, are charities focused on heritage and conservation, not government administration. Similarly, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy supports democracy abroad, but it's not directly involved in the UK's governmental operations. So, the civil service and the cabinet are the core components that constitute the UK government.