The article investigates the role of language and accent in the United Kingdom as instruments of social stratification and as carriers of ideological constructs. It traces the historical development of the linguistic landscape, from the Celtic languages and the formative period of English to the contemporary situation of minority (Celtic) languages and the languages of migrant communities. Particular attention is devoted to accents as powerful social markers: the standard variety, Received Pronunciation, has traditionally been associated with high social status and elitism, whereas regional and ethnic accents may be subject to prejudice and function as indicators of class and group affiliation. The study highlights how the education system and the media reinforce the hierarchy of accent prestige, thereby shaping opportunities for social mobility. It also examines the discourse surrounding migrant languages and the role of English as both a vehicle of integration and a tool of social control. The article concludes that language in British society operates not only as a medium of communication but also as a mechanism intrinsically linked to ideology: linguistic norms, accents, and social varieties both reflect and reproduce existing hierarchies.