Welcome to THR Rusty Bubbles,
Remember that self-defence in the UK IS legal. If you are being or reasonably expect to be attacked, you can defend yourself with reasonable force. If you fear for life or limb, you can kill your attacker whether you stab him or hit him or shoot him. People like Tony Martin only go to jail because they shoot burglars who are running away and refuse to apologise (he could have avoided jail if he wanted to and was not being attacked when he fired).
When looking at self-defence in the UK there are two distinct areas: your home and outside in public places.
At home, I would reccomend you get yourself a shotgun certificate and buy a three-shot (legal mag restriction) semi-auto 12 bore shotgun. A pump action or a double barrel one is fine too, but I'd reccomend a semi-auto myself (many others will disagree, however, it's up to you).
You will need to keep it locked up though. If you only buy the one gun, you can use a wall clamp or a chamber lock with a steel cable attached to the wall. You can also use (and will have to if you get more than one gun) a gun cabinet. Have a look at the different options in a shop and decide which one will allow you quickest access to the gun. As far as I know there's no rule against keeping it loaded, but chamber locks will prevent that. If you want, you can keep it loaded and unlocked, and this is not breaking the law, but you can have you certificate revoked. Some unscrupulous people have even been known to keep their guns unlocked and lying with some cleaning equipment so that, should police come around unexpectedly, they can say they were cleaning it.
Assuming you do keep it locked, I would suggest some kind of other weapon that will be at hand if you don't have time to reach your gun - sword, machete, bludgeon, spear, perhaps even a crossbow (I'm no expert).
Outside your own home, however, you will be unable to carry your shotgun (even if you wanted to). Here's some things off my top of the head which you might carry everyday that can be used as weapons:
Umbrella, cane or walking stick (bludgeon and some umbrellas can be stabbed with)
Sturdy pen or torch (both as striking and piercing weapons but a bright, tactical torch can also temporarily blind and disorientate)
Carabiner (knuckle duster)
Bike lock (flail)
Briefcase (strike with corners)
Rolled up magazine (strike with an end)
Book (hardback, or softback if you put it under tension)
Keys (especially a bunch on a line used as a flail, or a car key with a plastic handle used to stab with)
Roll of coins (strike with)
Wallet full of coins (make sure the coins won't fall out and that they are only in one half of the wallet, it can then be used like a sap)
Cigar tube (strike with)
Almost anything can make a useful weapon. Use your imagination. Remember though that it is an offence to carry ANYTHING specifically for use as a weapon. You must never carry anything for that purpose, but you can think about how you might use things that you carry anyway. Of course, if you decided to start carrying a Surefire torch and a Parker pen, and if you decided to carry an umbrella with a metal point on the slightest chance of it raining that day, they could hardly prove you did so because you wanted those items as a weapon - as long as you don't attack people, obviously.
Remember though that self-defence goes along way beyond neutralising your attacker, it also involves making sure that you never get attacked. Avoid rough areas, keep your eyes and ears open for trouble, take the car or a taxi if you can (even a bike will let you escape from trouble), make sure you puff up and look dangerous if you notice a possible threat, and so on and so forth.
Also consider self-defence classes and work out more (or start doing so).
Hope that helps some, stay safe.
There are no laws against owning dogs in the UK.
Actually there are. You cannot own:
Pit Bull Terriers
Tosa
Dogo Argentino
Fila Brasileiro
For us Americans, what's a "semi"
Semi-detached house. Many (if not most) houses in the UK are actually two houses that share a common wall. See here:
It would suggest a suburban area.
