can you get a first class degree without honours
In 2010 and 2011, the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) reported that approximately 15% of all degree candidates graduated with first-class honours. The percentages of graduates achieving a first vary greatly by university and course studied. For example, students of law are least likely to gain a first, whereas students of mathematical sciences are most likely to gain a first. In 2006--2007 and 2010--2011, 5.8% and 8.1% of law students gained a first, respectively; however, in those years, 28.9% and 30.0% of mathematics students gained a first, respectively.
British undergraduate degree classification