Life in the UK Test: Pass Mark, Cost, Booking & Exemptions

Researched and maintained by the ILR Calculator UK editorial team · Reviewed against Appendix KoL UK and GOV.UK guidance in force on 24 June 2026 · General information about UK settlement, not regulated immigration advice. For advice on your own case, use an adviser regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) or a solicitor.

The Life in the UK test is a computer-based test of 24 multiple-choice questions, sat in 45 minutes, with a 75% pass mark — you need at least 18 correct. It costs £50 per attempt, is based on the official 3rd-edition handbook, and is required for most ILR and citizenship applicants aged 18 to 64. A pass never expires, so a single result covers both your settlement and citizenship applications. It is separate from the English language requirement.

What the Life in the UK test is

The Life in the UK test is one half of the Knowledge of Language and Life (KoLL) requirement for settlement and citizenship — the other half being the English language requirement. It assesses your knowledge of British history, institutions, law and everyday civic life, rather than your English ability. Almost everyone applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain or British citizenship must pass it unless they are exempt, and the same single pass is reused for both stages. See where it fits among the other rules on our ILR requirements page.

The test format at a glance

Source: GOV.UK — Life in the UK Test and Appendix KoL UK. The result is confirmed on screen immediately, and you receive a Unique Reference Number (URN) for your application.

Who must take it — and who is exempt

The test is required for most adults settling or naturalising, but several groups are exempt. Note that an exemption from the test does not automatically exempt you from the English requirement.

Source: GOV.UK — Life in the UK Test exemptions. The medical exemption requires robust evidence and is assessed case by case; do not assume it without checking the guidance.

How to book and pass the test, step by step

1. Study the official handbook — Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents (3rd edition), the only authoritative source for questions.
2. Take timed practice tests — full 24-question, 45-minute mocks until you score comfortably above the pass mark.
3. Book online via GOV.UK — at least 3 days in advance, paying the £50 fee. Do not use unofficial “fast-track” booking sites.
4. Bring matching ID — the same original document you booked with; the name must match exactly or you may be refused entry.
5. Sit the test — 24 questions in 45 minutes; at least 18 correct to pass.
6. Save your Unique Reference Number (URN) — you will quote it on your ILR and later citizenship applications.

What’s in the test and how to prepare

Every question comes from the official handbook, which covers British values and principles, UK history from earliest times to the present, government, law and the constitution (including the devolved administrations), everyday needs and services, and British culture. In practice, applicants lose the most marks on the history and government chapters — dates, monarchs and parliamentary milestones reward memorisation rather than general knowledge, so focus your study there. Use only practice questions mapped to the 3rd-edition handbook; third-party material covering other topics wastes study time.

If you fail

There is no limit on attempts, but you must pay the £50 fee each time and wait at least 7 days before resitting. The system tells you only whether you passed, not which questions you got wrong, so the best approach to a resit is to review the whole handbook rather than guessing at your weak spots. Most well-prepared candidates pass on the first or second attempt.

The test vs the English language requirement

These two requirements are often confused. The Life in the UK test checks knowledge of British life; the English language requirement checks language ability at CEFR B1 in speaking and listening, met through an approved Secure English Language Test, a degree taught in English, or a nationality exemption. Passing the Life in the UK test does not satisfy the English requirement, and an exemption from one does not carry across to the other. Both must be met (or separately exempted) for most ILR applications.

After you pass

Keep your URN safe — you will need it for your ILR application now and your citizenship application later, since the pass never expires. Once settled, you can usually naturalise 12 months after ILR; map that date with the naturalisation calculator, and check the rest of your settlement eligibility against our ILR requirements guide.