Life in the UK Test
To apply for settlement in the United Kingdom or obtain British citizenship, you have to pass the Life in the UK Test and demonstrate your knowledge of life in the UK. Interested in learning more, including expert tips, help and a practice test? Read on below.
Do you have questions about the Life in the UK Test? Our immigration lawyers are here to help. Simply call us on 020 4502 8582 for immediate assistance or reach out to us online.
Page Contents
- What is the Life in the UK Test?
- Practice Life in the UK Test
- Who Needs to Take the Life in the UK Test?
- What Does the Life in the UK Test Cover?
- Where Are the Life in the UK Test Centres Located?
- How to Book a Life in the UK Test
- What to Expect at the Test Centre
- What Happens if I Fail the Test?
- How Much Is the Life in the UK Test Fee?
- What if I Lose my Life in the UK Test Certificate?
- General Tips for the Test
- How Can London Immigration Lawyers Help Me?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Life in the UK test?
The Life in the UK Test (also known as the UK citizenship test) is a test that most applicants for UK permanent settlement (indefinite leave to remain) or British citizenship must take.
It is a short multiple-choice exam designed to test applicants on aspects of British life, customs and history.
As part of the test, you will be given 45 minutes to answer 24 questions. You must answer at least 18 questions (75% of all questions featured) correctly in order to pass.
You must take the Life in the UK Test at any one of the Home Office-approved UK test centres. There are around 38 of these Life in the UK test centres located across the UK.
Practice Life in the UK Test
To help make preparation for your Life in the UK test a little easier, we’ve created a free Life in the UK test/British citizenship test for you to try and practise on. The quiz provides hundreds of practice Life in the UK test questions, complete with their answers and explanations.
For each practice test that you complete, you’ll be provided with a result and score. This will tell you how many of the questions you answered correctly and if this would have been enough to pass the test.
The quiz is entirely free to use and you can retake the practice test as many times as you like. There is also no registration required. Simply click the “Start the test…” button to begin.
Who Needs to Take the Life in the UK Test?
Overview
You will need to take the Life in the UK Test if you’re applying for either:
- British citizenship
- Indefinite leave to remain, including if you’re applying for:
- Permanent settlement after 2, 3 or 5 years in the UK, such as on a Skilled Worker Visa or other type of eligible work visa
- Permanent settlement as the spouse, partner or other family member of a UK citizen or settled person
- Permanent settlement after 10 years in the UK
Who is Exempt from Taking the Test?
Note that certain applicants for citizenship or indefinite leave to remain are exempt from taking the test. These include the following:
- Those who are under 18 or 65 or over
- Those who have a long-term physical or mental condition (you must provide a form or letter from a doctor confirming your physical or mental condition in order for this exemption to apply to you)
In addition to this, those who have already passed the test in the past will not need to pass it a second time for future applications. For example, if you already passed the test when applying for indefinite leave to remain, you will not need to take it again when applying for British citizenship.
What Does the Life in the UK Test Cover?
The Life in the UK Test covers a wide variety of topics about the UK, its history, society and customs.
All of the topics the test covers are drawn from the official Home Office Life in the UK Test handbook, which is found in the Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents book.
The book includes five chapters:
- Chapter 1: Values and Principles of the UK – a brief overview of the United Kingdom, the core principles of everyday life in the UK, and rules that all citizens are expected to obey.
- Chapter 2: What is the UK? – a short summary of the UK’s political boundaries, its home nations and dependencies.
- Chapter 3: A Long and Illustrious History – a comprehensive history of UK history, from the Stone Age, the evolution of society and the royal family, to modern history and current events.
- Chapter 4: A Modern, Thriving Society – various topics surrounding modern-day UK and its customs. Covers areas such as major UK cities, festivals and holidays, sport, culture, hobbies and landmarks.
- Chapter 5: The UK Government, the Law and your Role – focuses mostly on the UK political system, laws and individual values and principles in the context of UK society.
The Life in the UK Test may draw from all of these sections in the handbook, so it’s important to revise and familiarise yourself with every part of it in order to maximise your chances of success.
The handbook is available to purchase a book, an ebook, as an e-learning subscription, or in audio formats.
Where Are the Life in the UK Test Centres Located?
Below is a list of all of the Home Office-approved test centres where you can take a Life in the UK Test. Note that this list may differ from the ones that are available to you at the time of booking.
How to Book a Life in the UK Test
Overview
The only way to book a Life in the UK Test is by using the official online portal, which can be found through the gov.uk website.
When booking the test, you will be asked to provide a range of personal information, such as the following:
- Your name, address and date of birth
- An accepted form of photo ID, such as biometric residence permit, passport, EU identity card or travel document
- A valid credit or debit card to pay the test fee
- A valid email address
- Details of any special accommodations you may need when taking the test, such as disability accommodations.
Note that you must normally book your Life in the UK Test at least three days in advance.
You will also be able to choose to take the Life in the UK Test at one of the five nearest test centres to your location.
Optional Services
You will also be able to select from a range of optional services when booking your test. Note that all of these services will carry an additional charge. Optional services include the following:
- Short notice test within 24-72 hours (£15)
- Sunday test (£15)
- Official Life in the UK Handbook (£9.99)
- Closed test session for additional privacy (price on application)
Note that if you wish to book a closed test session or if you require any additional accommodations, you may have to contact UK Visas and Immigration directly using the Life in the UK Test helpline.
What to Expect at the Test Centre
Before the Test
It’s important that you arrive at the test centre at the time specified to you. Arriving late may mean that you won’t be able to take the test and you won’t be refunded the test fee.
You must ensure that you bring the photo ID you used when booking the test.
When you arrive at the centre, you will have a passport style photo of you taken for identification purposes. You will also undergo some security checks.
You may not bring any written material, wristwatches, or any kind of electronic device (including phones) into the testing room with you. Lockers will be available for you to store these items in.
During the Test
When you sit down in the testing room, you will have to answer 24 questions on a computer. The test will last a maximum of 45 minutes.
It’s important to remain quiet during the test and be considerate to other people also taking the test. You may be asked to leave and be refused a refund if you’re being disruptive during the test.
If you attempt to cheat during the test, you will not be allowed to complete the test and be reported to the Home Office and the police. This may result in a criminal prosecution and you may not be allowed to take the test again in the future.
After the Test
After you complete the test, you will be asked to wait in the waiting area until you’re given your unique reference number (URN). You will also be able to find your URN in your Life in the UK Test account.
After you receive your URN, you will be told the result of your test. You will then be able to leave the test centre.
What Happens if I Fail the Test?
If you fail the Life in the UK Test, you will need to sit the test again until you pass it in order to continue with your settlement or citizenship application.
Although you will have to pay the fee again to take the test, there is no limit to how many times you can take the test.
What Happens if I Pass my Life in the UK Test?
You will be given a code confirming you have passed the test which you will need to provide when applying for a visa or a change in your immigration status. Passing the test is one of the key requirements for permanent settlement or citizenship, you will only be able to successfully complete your settlement or citizenship application when you have passed the test.
How Long is the Life in the UK Certificate Valid?
Once you pass the test for an application for permanent settlement, you will not have to take it again when you apply for citizenship. The UK Life in the UK test does not expire.
How Much Is the Life in the UK Test Fee?
It costs £50 to take the Life in the UK Test.
Note that if you fail the test, if you were late to the test centre, brought the wrong ID to the test or if you missed the test completely, then you will not be able to get the fee refunded.
You will only be able to get a refund if you cancel your test more than three days before the test date or if the test centre cancels your booking.
If you wish to cancel your Life in the UK test, then you can do so online and a refund will automatically be given to the debit or credit card used when booking.
If the test centre cancels the test then you need to ask for a refund of the test booking fee within 3 months of your original test date.
What if I Lose my Life in the UK Test Certificate?
Once you have successfully passed the Life in the UK test you will be given a unique reference number. You must include this reference number on any applications for British citizenship or if applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK.
However, if you took the Life in the UK test before 17th December 2019 then you will have been given a letter with a reference ID when you passed the test. If you can not find this letter or if you no longer have it, then you will need to include an explanation with your citizenship or settlement application.
You should provide the date you sat the Life in the UK and at which test centre so that the Home Office can try to locate your details and will be able to confirm that you successfully passed the examination.
General Tips for the Test
In order to maximise your chances of success in the test, it’s recommended that you use the official Life in the UK Test handbook, which covers all possible topics that will be asked in the test itself.
You should also take practice tests in the lead-up to the real test. Practice tests test your knowledge of the areas covered and will help build your confidence in the lead-up to the test itself.
Finally, remember that failing the test will simply mean that you will have to retake it again in the future, so don’t stress or worry too much if you happen to fail it. You can take the test as many times as you need to until you pass.
Taking the Life in the UK Test can be a stressful experience, but it can be made easier with the help of an immigration expert. Call us on 020 4502 8582 for immediate assistance or reach out to us online for more information about what we can do to help you.
How Can London Immigration Lawyers Help Me?
The Life in the United Kingdom Test is something that most applicants for UK permanent settlement or citizenship must go through.
If you’re applying for either of these and require additional assistance with the Life in the UK Test, or with any other part of your application, London Immigration Lawyers can help.
We are a team of expert, professional and friendly immigration lawyers with strong experience providing immigration services and advice to London.
Whether you require additional assistance in preparing for the test itself, have specific questions or concerns about taking the test or require help with any other part of your immigration application, we can help.
For more information about the services we provide and how we can help you, reach out to us to book an advice session today. Call us on 020 4502 8582 or reach out to us online.
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, the law may change, and the information may not reflect the most current legal developments. No warranty is given regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information, and we do not accept liability in such cases. We recommend consulting with a qualified lawyer at London Immigration Lawyers before making any decisions based on the content provided.
Last modified on February 3rd, 2026 at 4:01 pm
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Frequently Asked Questions
You will not get a physical certificate for passing the Life in the UK test. Instead, you will be given a unique reference number (URN), which you will need to submit for your application for settlement or citizenship.
If you need to cancel your Life in the UK test, you will need to do this by logging on to your Life in the UK test online account. Simply click on “Confirmed Tests” and then “Cancel Tests”.
No. The test must be taken in person at an authorised test centre.
