A very interesting but somewhat mysterious thread! What does the average DIY fella need to safely tell if there is current in a wire - or not?
About all I do electrically, for instance, is to replace a broken wall socket or a failing light bulb holder. I don't need much more than that - and I always turn off the mcb involved first. (I'm ashamed to say that I do have a neon screwdriver).
The technically correct advice is you should never use a multimeter for testing for dead.
The correct tool for the job is as JohnD pointed to on the previous page, a voltage indicator.
The documentation issued by the HSE (GS-38) requires these to be proved before and after use.
This can be done on say another circuit which is still live, or a proving unit which is something I doubt a DIYer would want to buy.