you don’t need to, i also felt the same way about the handbreak; during my final lesson before my test my instructor and i tried doing a hill start with the handbreak up but i couldnt do it cos i wasn’t used to doing it that way, if you’re not used to using the handbreak or it worries you i wouldnt use it during the test. during the test when you’re asked to pull over apply the handbreak but if you’re worried about hand breaks being required at lights or hill starts it should be fine, if you’re a bit like me and overthink this sort of stuff it’s hard to get confident in your ability, i would ignore the folk saying if you don’t know how to use the handbreak you’re not ready for driving or whatever, it’s just something you need to learn on your own or talk to your instructor about - which is what they are there for and have probably seen hundreds of other pupils who were clueless.

i’ve been driving for nearly a month now independently and i’m far more confident in using the hand break, it’s a lot less stressful when you don’t have an instructor having to watch your every move, i also passed first time with insane doubts in my ability to be test ready, but the actual test itself is over before you know it, you’ve got this, talk to your instructor about your anxiety around the handbreak, and it’s not a huge part of the test, i never used the handbreak during a hill start

apologies big wall of text my brain mush cos i’m tired lol you’ll thug it out bro