Passports in UK

There is no legal requirement to carry any ID in the Uk, although there may be situations (car rental, for example) where you may be asked for some form of ID. And you have to give name, date and place of birth, nationality and address if asked by a policeman.

Hotels should ask for your passport number at registration if they don't already have it but don't actually need to see the passport itself.

While I carry my passport with me in many European locations I don't usually in the UK. I figure I can at least make myself understood since we theoretically speak the same language, lol.

I would keep my passport somewhere safe like a safe in a hotel room. You could carry a photo copy of the photograph page, if you wanted to but there isn’t a need. However, Brits are advised to have such a photo copy available (or a picture of it on their phone) with them when travelling as it makes it much easier to get a replacement passport if the original is lost or stolen.

And you have to give name, date and place of birth, nationality and address if asked by a policeman.

That's not correct. There is no obligation to provide any personal information to a police officer unless you are suspected of being involved in a crime or if you're driving a vehicle. There are a couple of other exceptions but they relate to emergency orders and not really worth highlighting in this instance.

Most people just keep theirs safe at the hotel and carry a driver’s license or photocopy if they want something on them. You’ll only really need the passport for travel, banks, or certain rentals