Scout Promise, Law & Motto

Scouting has a simple and positive Promise that all Members are required to make. The Promise, together with the Scout Law, gives a distinctive ethos to the practices of the Movement and acts as a bond with Scouts in other countries.

Everyone in Scouting expresses their Membership and acceptance of the values of Scouting by taking the Scout Promise and following the Scout Law. Beaver Scouts and Cub Scouts have their own version of the Promise and Law, which is relevant for their age.

The Promise is something that we do and the way in which we live our lives. It is not something that we just say on occasions. It is important that the words of the Promise and the Law mean something to the people making them. The words in the Promise and Law might therefore change over time. This is to ensure that today’s Members understand them and that they cater for diverse backgrounds and cultures.

The Scout Promise

Scouting is open to people of all faiths and of none and we therefore take in to account the different religious obligations of our Members while upholding the essential spirit of the Promise.

Further details of the alternative wording of the Promise that young people and adults may wish to use to best reflect their own beliefs can be found in the current edition of the Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association and Law

On my honour,
I promise that I will do my best
to do my duty to God and to The Queen,
to help other people
and to keep the Scout Law.

Alternative Promise

Scouting is available to people of all faiths as well as people who are humanist, atheist or have no affirmed faith and therefore must therefore take account of the different religious obligations or non religious beliefs of its Members.

Similarly, people of other nationalities resident in the United Kingdom, who may become Members of the Association, owe allegiance to their own Country.  To meet these circumstances, there are different variations of the Beaver Scout, Cub Scout and Scout Promise that can be made, allowing for the
individuals obligations while upholding the essential spirit of the Promise.

The Scout Promise, alternative version

On my honour,
I promise that I will do my best
To uphold our Scout values,
to do my duty to the Queen,
To help other people
And to keep the Scout Law.

For more information please see The Promise guidance page regarding the alternative promise.

To enable individuals to make a promise that resonates with them and they can be proud to live by. The
role of the Leader is to make young people aware of the options, explain what the Promise means, what the options for alternative wording are, and if the young person expresses a wish to explore alternative wording; depending on their age and maturity, discussing the decision with parents or carers. Ultimately the decision of which version of the Promise young people make lies with the young people, however in the younger sections parents should be aware of the Promise chosen before the investiture ceremony

Details of all the promises are available here

The Scout Law

  1. A Scout is to be trusted.
  2. A Scout is loyal.
  3. A Scout is friendly and considerate.
  4. A Scout belongs to the world-wide family of Scouts
  5. A Scout has courage in all difficulties.
  6. A Scout makes good use of time and is careful
  7. of possessions and property.
  8. A Scout has self-respect and respect for others.

The Scout Motto

The scout motto is ‘Be Prepared’

Put your phone down and what are you left with? Just teamwork, courage and the skills to succeed.’
Bear Grylls, Chief Scout Bear Grylls