Life in the UK and the English test: do you need both?

Is the Life in the UK Test an English test?

No. The Home Office calls the two together the knowledge of language and life in the UK requirement, and you must meet both parts unless you’re exempt. The Life in the UK Test checks what you know about the UK. Your English is shown separately, by a qualification.

What level of English, and how to prove it

The caseworker guidance asks for speaking and listening at B1 or above on the CEFR scale. GOV.UK accepts:

• A Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider, at B1, B2, C1 or C2. ESOL qualifications count only if they’re on the approved SELT list.
• A degree taught or researched in English. The guidance says an overseas degree needs confirmation from Ecctis that it’s equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or above.

GCSEs, A levels and NVQs don’t count. GOV.UK says an application will be refused if you send the wrong qualifications.

Who doesn’t need to prove English

GOV.UK lists people aged 65 or over, people with a long-term physical or mental condition who send a completed exemption form from a doctor, and nationals of these countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the British overseas territories, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Ireland (for citizenship only), Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and the USA.

For settlement, some visa routes don’t need it either. The Skilled Worker settlement page, for example, says you don’t need to prove English when you apply to settle, though you still need the Life in the UK Test if you’re 18 to 64.

Settling first, citizenship later

An exemption doesn’t carry over. GOV.UK says that when you apply for citizenship you must have a relevant English qualification, or send an exemption form again if you were exempt when you settled.

An expired B1 or higher qualification still counts for citizenship if it was accepted when you settled. GOV.UK also notes that some recognised test qualifications only last for 2 years.