To obtain indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or British citizenship, most adult applicants must pass the Life in the UK Test and prove their knowledge of English. B1 is currently enough for both ILR and citizenship, but ILR applications made on or after 26 March 2027 will need B2 on most routes. This page explains who needs which test, who is exempt, what it costs and how to plan preparation so that it does not delay your application date.
What the Life in the UK Test and English language requirement are
The requirement the Home Office checks for ILR and naturalisation is officially called knowledge of language and life in the UK (KoLL). It has two independent parts, and each must be met separately: passing one does not replace the other.
- Life in the UK Test — a computer-based test on British history, traditions, government and everyday life. Questions are based only on the official handbook, Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents.
- English language evidence — a Secure English Language Test (SELT) certificate from a Home Office-approved provider, an academic degree taught in English, or nationality of a majority English-speaking country.
Both requirements are set out in Appendix KoLL to the Immigration Rules. Among other things, it provides that the English level for settlement is assessed on the date of application: B1 for applications made before 26 March 2027 and B2 for applications made on or after that date. The text is published on the Appendix KoLL page on GOV.UK.
In practice, the hardest part is rarely the test itself but choosing the right test and the right moment to take it. Requirements differ for visas, ILR and citizenship, and certificates expire, so a mistake on one point can push an application back by several months.
Who needs to take the tests: ILR, citizenship and visas
The Life in the UK Test and the English requirement apply to applicants aged 18 to 64 who apply for ILR or British citizenship. For ILR this covers most routes: work visas, family visas, UK Ancestry, Global Talent, Innovator Founder and Long Residence. The routes themselves are covered on the page about indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
For naturalisation, the language and test requirements apply regardless of how ILR was obtained. You can usually apply for citizenship 12 months after getting ILR, while spouses of British citizens can apply as soon as they have ILR if they have lived in the UK for the last three years. The conditions are explained on the GOV.UK British citizenship page and on the page about British citizenship.
An English test is also needed earlier, at the visa stage. Partners of British citizens need A1 for the first visa and A2 for an extension, and Skilled Worker applicants need B2 for an initial application. The Life in the UK Test, however, is not taken at the visa stage: it is only required for ILR and citizenship.
What Imperial & Legal advisers check before you book a test
- Identification of your ILR route and the date the language rule is assessed
- Review of exemption grounds based on age, health or nationality
- Analysis of previous SELT certificates and their validity on the application date
- Assessment of an English-taught degree and the need for an Ecctis check
- Comparison of the name in your passport or eVisa with test booking details
- Selection of a test with the right skills: speaking and listening or all four
- Planning of the application date around the move to B2 in March 2027
This review matters most when you are less than a year away from qualifying for settlement: that is when it becomes clear whether a test you already hold is enough or a new one is needed.
Who is exempt from the Life in the UK Test and the English requirement
The exemptions for the two parts of the requirement do not fully overlap, so they need to be checked separately. Applicants under 18 or aged 65 or over on the date of application are exempt from both, as are people with a long-term physical or mental condition that prevents them from taking the tests. In that case an exemption form or a letter from a doctor is submitted with the application.
Nationals of certain majority English-speaking countries and territories, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the USA, Jamaica, Malta, the Bahamas and the British overseas territories, do not need to prove their English. Irish nationals are exempt for citizenship only. The full list is on the GOV.UK page on English language exemptions. An important detail: if a country is not on the list, a test is needed even where English is an official language there.
Further English exemptions apply to some ILR categories, such as refugees and people with humanitarian protection, victims of domestic abuse and bereaved partners of British citizens. Under the current rules, applicants settling on the Skilled Worker, Scale-up or Innovator Founder routes do not prove their English again, because it was assessed when the visa was granted. For Skilled Worker and Scale-up this will change after 26 March 2027 — see below.
The Life in the UK Test only needs to be passed once. If you passed it for ILR, you do not need to retake it for citizenship: it is enough to give your existing unique reference number.
English language requirement: CEFR levels by route
English ability is measured on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), from A1 (basic) to C2 (proficient). The route determines not only the level but also the test format: family visas, ILR and citizenship require a speaking and listening test, while work visas require a test of all four skills. The official table is published in the guidance on English language requirement levels for immigration applications.
| Application | CEFR level | What the SELT assesses |
|---|---|---|
| Family visa (partner, parent): first application | A1 | Speaking and listening |
| Family visa: extension | A2 | Speaking and listening |
| Skilled Worker: initial application | B2 | Reading, writing, speaking and listening |
| ILR: application before 26 March 2027 | B1 | Speaking and listening |
| ILR: application on or after 26 March 2027 | B2 | Speaking and listening |
| British citizenship | B1 or higher | Speaking and listening |
A higher-level test always counts in place of a lower one. So if you are currently on a visa and plan to settle after March 2027, it is sensible to aim for B2 straight away: one certificate can then cover both a visa extension and ILR. The work visa requirements are covered in detail on the page about the Skilled Worker visa English requirement.
B2 English for ILR from 26 March 2027
On 5 March 2026 the government laid the Statement of Changes HC 1691, raising the English requirement for settlement from B1 to B2. The change comes into force on 26 March 2027 and applies to applications made from that date, including those from people already on a route to settlement. According to the official estimate, moving from B1 to B2 takes around 200 hours of learning, as stated in the Home Office announcement on GOV.UK.
The new level covers the routes listed in the explanatory memorandum to HC 1691: Appendix KoLL, Skilled Worker, Scale-up, Global Talent, Innovator Founder, UK Ancestry, Long Residence, family routes, Representative of an Overseas Business and several others. For Skilled Worker and Scale-up, English will also be assessed at the ILR stage. This means that an applicant who obtained a visa with a B1 certificate will need new B2 evidence when applying for settlement on or after 26 March 2027.
On 2 November 2026 the government set out its earned settlement model. It lists English at A-level standard, equivalent to B2, as one of the mandatory conditions for settlement, alongside a clean criminal record, no debts to the taxpayer and sustained National Insurance contributions. The Life in the UK Test requirement remains, and the government is reviewing its content. The details and status of the model are in the Home Office announcement of 2 November 2026 and on the page about earned settlement.
The English requirement for citizenship is not affected by these changes for now: under current GOV.UK guidance, a B1 or higher qualification is accepted for naturalisation. A certificate that was accepted for your ILR can also be used for citizenship even if it has since expired.
Ways to prove your knowledge of English for ILR and citizenship
- SELT certificate at the required level from a Home Office-approved provider
- UK academic degree that was taught or researched in English
- Overseas degree taught in English and confirmed by an Ecctis assessment
- Nationality of a majority English-speaking country listed on GOV.UK
- Previously accepted B1–C2 certificate when applying for citizenship after ILR
- Exemption for applicants aged 65 or over on the date of application
- Exemption for a long-term health condition, supported by a doctor’s form
A SELT is the most common route, but for graduates of English-taught programmes a degree is often simpler. If the degree was not awarded in the UK, it must be confirmed in advance by Ecctis, which issues a reference confirming that the qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or higher and was taught in English.
Life in the UK Test: format, fee and booking
The test is taken on a computer at an approved centre in the UK, and there are more than 30 of them. You have 45 minutes to answer 24 questions, and the pass mark is 75%, meaning at least 18 correct answers. Questions are based only on the official handbook for new residents, available as a book, an eBook and in audio format. The format and rules are set out on the official Life in the UK Test booking page.
- The fee is £50 per attempt, and you can retake the test as many times as you need.
- The test must be booked online at least 3 days in advance.
- To book, you need an email address, a debit or credit card and an accepted form of ID.
- If you have an eVisa, you book with a share code from your UKVI account; otherwise a passport, an EU, EEA or Swiss ID card or a travel document with a photo can be used.
- The name on the booking must exactly match the name on your ID, and you must bring the same original ID to the test.
- Cancelling at least 72 hours before the test gives a refund; lateness, illness or the wrong ID do not.
After passing, you receive a unique reference number, which is entered in your ILR or citizenship application so the Home Office can check the result. The result does not expire. If you do not yet have an eVisa, note that an expired biometric residence permit (BRP) can only be used to book if the test takes place by 31 December 2026 and no later than 24 months after the card expired. Practical preparation tips are collected in the article Life in the UK test – all you need to know.
SELT: providers, formats and validity
For ILR and citizenship, only a Secure English Language Test from the Home Office list, taken at an approved centre, is accepted. Standard exams do not qualify, however good the score, unless they are the UKVI version. School qualifications such as GCSEs or A levels are not accepted either. The current list of providers and tests is on the page Prove your English language abilities with a SELT.
| Provider | Where available | Approved tests |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS SELT Consortium | In the UK and overseas | IELTS for UKVI, IELTS Life Skills |
| LANGUAGECERT | In the UK and overseas | International ESOL SELT, Academic SELT, General SELT |
| Pearson | In the UK and overseas | PTE Academic UKVI, PTE Home |
| Trinity College London | In the UK | Secure English Language Tests for UKVI (ISE, GESE) |
| PSI Services | Overseas | Skills for English UKVI |
A SELT result is valid for two years from the date it is awarded, and the test must have been taken no more than two years before the application. You do not need to submit result documents: the Home Office checks the result in the provider’s online system using the SELT unique reference number entered in the form. According to GOV.UK, a test place is usually available within 28 days of booking, though not always in the nearest location.
There is an important exception to the two-year rule for ILR: an expired B1–C2 certificate can be used if the test is on the current list and was accepted in another immigration application. The rule for citizenship is even more flexible — any certificate accepted when you were granted settlement will do. But from 26 March 2027 a B1 certificate will not meet the ILR requirement, so it should not be relied on for a later application.
Imperial & Legal support
What support with the tests and your ILR application includes
Requirements review
Check of your route, exemptions and required English level
Test preparation
Study plan for the official handbook and topic practice tests
SELT selection
Choice of provider, format and date based on result validity
ILR application
Review of the form, documents and test reference numbers
Even once it is clear which tests are needed, the order of steps depends on your circumstances: when you qualify for settlement, which certificates you already hold and your plans for citizenship. That is why the preparation plan is built individually.
Costs and timescales
The main costs on the way to settlement and citizenship are Home Office fees, while the tests themselves are relatively inexpensive. However, resits, last-minute bookings or a new test because a certificate has expired all add to the budget, so they are worth planning for in advance.
| Cost | Amount | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Life in the UK Test | £50 | Per attempt; refunded if cancelled at least 72 hours ahead |
| SELT | Set by the provider | Depends on the country, test and format |
| Ecctis assessment | Paid separately | Only needed for a degree awarded outside the UK |
| ILR application | £3,226 | For the main applicant and for each dependant |
| Naturalisation | £1,709 + £130 | Application fee plus the mandatory citizenship ceremony |
In terms of timing, allow for test preparation, booking and receiving results, as well as Home Office processing of the application itself. If your level is closer to B1 and you will apply after 26 March 2027, preparing for B2 may take several months. All current fees are listed on the page about UK visa fees.
How the support works: 5 stages
The work is planned backwards from the date you become eligible for ILR and ends with preparation for naturalisation. Below is the client journey from the first consultation to a British citizenship application.
Consultation and assessment of language and test requirements
Test selection and preparation for Life in the UK and SELT
Preparation and submission of the ILR application
Application decision and confirmation of ILR status
Preparation and submission of the citizenship application
At every stage, timescales depend on your readiness for the tests and on Home Office workload, so the plan includes a buffer — especially if your application date is close to 26 March 2027.
Documents you will need
The Home Office does not need paper test certificates for the KoLL requirement, as results are checked using reference numbers. However, the following documents are useful for booking the tests and for the application itself:
- a valid passport or eVisa share code — the same ID used to book the test;
- your Life in the UK unique reference number (or a letter with a test reference ID if you passed before 17 December 2019);
- your SELT unique reference number: UER for Trinity, UKVI number for IELTS, Candidate URN for LANGUAGECERT, SELT URN for Pearson, URN for PSI;
- your degree certificate and Ecctis reference if you rely on a degree awarded overseas;
- an exemption form or doctor’s letter if you cannot take the tests for health reasons;
- decisions on previous applications if you rely on a previously accepted certificate.
If your degree certificate has not been issued yet or has been lost, an official transcript or a letter from your university with your name, the degree and the date it was or will be awarded is accepted instead.
Practical examples
The test requirements are easiest to understand through typical situations. The examples below are generalised and show the logic rather than the outcome of a particular case.
A Skilled Worker visa holder eligible for ILR in 2027
The applicant obtained a work visa with a B1 certificate and becomes eligible for settlement in summer 2027. Under the current rules they would not need to prove English again, but for applications from 26 March 2027 a new B2 speaking and listening test is required. A sensible plan is to pass B2 and the Life in the UK Test several months before applying.
The spouse of a British citizen
She needed A1 for her first visa and A2 for the extension. For ILR she will need B1 or B2 depending on the application date, plus the Life in the UK Test. Once she has ILR, she can apply for citizenship straight away using the same test result and the certificate accepted for ILR. The family route is covered on the page about UK family visas.
An applicant over 65 and a graduate of an English-taught programme
An applicant who is 65 on the date of application is exempt from both the English test and the Life in the UK Test. Their son, who completed a master’s degree in Europe taught in English, can prove his English with the degree through Ecctis instead of a SELT, but he still needs to pass the Life in the UK Test.
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One of these clients explained why he chose to get support before applying for citizenship:
When I came to the UK to get a degree, I decided to stay here. Even though I am from Spain, the UK is the country where I belong. However, after Brexit, obtaining temporary residence and permanent residence in the UK became difficult for the Europeans. I had already obtained settled status, but I was getting nervous that I would mess up my British citizenship application. That is why I decided to get in touch with professional immigration advisors.
Concerns like these are well founded: settlement and citizenship applications are most often complicated not by the test itself but by formal mistakes around it.
Common mistakes with the tests
Most problems with the language part of an application have nothing to do with ability and everything to do with formalities. The Home Office will not accept a result if the test is not on the SELT list or was taken in the wrong format, and this usually cannot be fixed after submission.
- Taking a standard IELTS Academic or General instead of IELTS for UKVI or IELTS Life Skills.
- Booking a test under a name that differs from the spelling in your passport or eVisa.
- Taking a test too early, so that its two-year validity runs out before you apply.
- Taking a B1 test when your ILR application will be made after 26 March 2027.
- Assuming no test is needed because English is an official language in your country.
- Arriving at the Life in the UK Test with different ID from the booking and losing the £50 fee.
- Leaving the Ecctis request to the last moment and not receiving the reference in time.
Each of these mistakes can lead to a refusal or a delayed application. If a refusal has already been issued, it is important to choose the right next step rather than reapplying with the same problem.
A consultation is especially useful if you are unsure about an exemption or plan to rely on an older certificate: these questions are best resolved before you pay for a test.
How to plan your tests before applying for ILR and citizenship
The Life in the UK Test and the English requirement are not a formality but separate conditions that affect the outcome of settlement and citizenship applications. The requirements are getting stricter, and the most useful thing you can do now is work out your application date and prepare for the right level in good time.
Key takeaways
- Most ILR and citizenship applicants aged 18 to 64 need both the Life in the UK Test and English evidence.
- The Life in the UK Test costs £50, lasts 45 minutes, has a 75% pass mark and is passed once.
- ILR applications made on or after 26 March 2027 will need B2 English on most routes instead of B1.
- A SELT certificate is valid for two years, so the test date should be planned from the application date.
- Only tests on the SELT list are accepted; the alternatives are an English-taught degree or an exemption.
