英国保护人士（British protected person）这种身份的出现，是来自《1981年英国国籍法案》。

于英国国籍法中，英国保护人士不被视为英籍人士或英联邦公民，他们亦不享有所有英国公民应有的权利。不过，和英联邦公民及爱尔兰人一样，他们也不被视为外人。主要来说，他们可以担任大部分公职，但没有英国本土投票权。

A British Protected Person (BPP) is a member of class of certain persons under the British Nationality Act 1981 associated with former protected states, protectorates, mandated and trust territories whose external affairs and defence were under British control. The inhabitants of these former states or territories were never automatically entitled because of their birthplace to become British subjects or citizens, but were given the status of British Protected Person instead. (A few of those born in such areas might have other claims to British nationality, for instance, based on the status of their parents.)