Life in the UK Exam
The Life in the UK test is a mandatory requirement for anyone seeking indefinite leave to remain (settlement) or British citizenship in the UK. It assesses your knowledge of British life, customs, traditions, and everyday life.
Who can Take the Test
- Individuals applying for indefinite leave to remain (settlement) in the UK.
- Individuals applying for British citizenship (with some exceptions).
Course Outline
- British values like democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect.
- UK history and traditions, including key historical events and figures.
- Everyday life in the UK, including the education system, healthcare system, and customs.
- Rights and responsibilities of UK residents.
Life in the UK Exam FAQs
What to expect at the exam centre for Life in the UK test ?
Give yourself 2 hours for the whole test. Arrive 15 minutes early as it is always good to be on the safe side, and relaxed when you are about to begin an important test. The identity checks should take another 15 minutes and you will then be given 45 minutes to compete the test. The waiting time for the result is usually less than 5 minutes and you will get the pass (or fail) certificate, before leaving the test centre.
Who has to take the Life in the UK test?
Every body who is applying for ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) or British Citizenship is required to take this test. It is mandatory in the age group of 18 years to 64 years.
You don’t need to take the test if:
• You're under 18 or over 65
• Unable to, because of special circumstances (such as a long-term physical or mental condition; you will need to provide necessary proof)
You only need to pass the test once – you don't need to pass the test again if you're applying to become a British citizen and previously passed the life in the UK test as part of your settlement (ILR) application.
How long is life in UK test certificate valid?
Life in the UK test does not expire and is for life.
What is the life in the UK test?
The Life in the UK test, also called as the British Citizenship test is designed to test the applicant’s knowledge of life in the United Kingdom. The test is a multiple choice test, is computer based and contains 24 questions. You need to score 18 correct answers to qualify, or about 75% . The questions are asked from the “Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents (3rd Edition)” handbook that is officially used to test applicants on the topics of the book.
The Life in the UK test costs £50 and the test needs to be booked atleast 3 days in advance , online . You need a valid identity document, debit or credit card and an email address to book the life in the UK test.
Will these questions appear in my official test?
The answer to this is Yes and No. Our questions are designed to be so similar to the questions asked in the test that they might actually come up. Rest assured that if you have done our practice tests, you will pass the official test easily.
How should I claim a refund on my Life in the UK test ?
You should download and fill the refund form from
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-for-refund-for-a-life-in-the-uk-test
if you wish to get a refund/complaint.
You’ll get a response within 10 working days. All complaints must be submitted within 3 months of the test date.
When do I know that I'm ready?
You are ready when you have gone through the handbook properly and attempted all practice tests thoroughly. Having taken all the practice tests at testpreptraining.ai , you will find the Life in the UK test very easy.
Do I need life in the UK test for indefinite leave to remain?
In order to meet the 'Knowledge of language and life in the UK' requirement for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)/settlement you must: pass the Life in the UK test, unless in very few cases, you are exempt.
Lost my life in the UK test pass certificate. What do I do ?
You will need to contact the Home Office on 03001 232 253 about your lost pass certificates. You will NOT be able to get a copy of the Life in the UK test certificate from your test centre. According to Home Office guidelines, You will be able to use a cover letter, to inform the Home Office that you have lost or misplaced your certificates.
Common Mistakes and Issues made while applying for Life in the UK test
Wrong place of birth
It is strongly advised to make sure that you specify the correct place of birth. In some cases, candidates were not allowed to sit the test after incorrectly stating their place of birth (e.g. stating the city instead of country).
First name and Last name are wrong way round
Make sure that you look out for "First name" and "Last name" fields. The booking service asks for your Last name and then your First name. If you mix up your first and last names, you may not be able to sit the test or get the money back.
Passport has Identity and Passport number
If your passport has both, the Identity number and Passport number, make sure that you enter your Passport number when booking the test.
How do I make a complaint about Life in the UK Test ?
To make a complaint about the test, you should contact learndirect, the company which administers the tests. You can contact them using email: complaints@lituk.learndirect.com or call 0800 015 4245 (Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm). Note that calls might be charged.
Can I get extra support for Life in the UK test ?
Get in touch with your test centre or call 0800 015 4245 if you require additional support
What is the difference between different handbooks for Life in the UK test?
The life in the UK test was last updated in 2013 (the 3rd edition update). Consequently, all 2013-2018 published handbooks and study guides contain the same information. You don't need to buy a paper copy and can read it online, it is available easily.
Tips for taking Life in the UK test
There is plenty of time in the exam, with 45 minutes to answer 24 questions, which is just under 2 minutes to a question. Take your time to read and answer the questions and read it as many times as you need to make sure you properly understand the question correctly. Also pay attention to the questions being asked as some of the questions might have more than one correct answers.
Can I bring visitors/guests?
No you are not allowed to bring visitors or guests inside the test centre. However, guests are allowed at the british citizenship ceremony.
What happens if I fail Life in the UK test ?
You will have to wait for atleast 7 working days before you may apply again to take the Life in the UK test. You may take the test unlimited number of times, but each test would cost you £50. It is highly advised to read the study materials and complete practice tests to pass first time.
You can still live in the United Kingdom even if you fail the test until your Leave to Remain expires.
What is the time duration of Life in the UK test ?
45 minutes.
You have to answer 24 questions in 45 minutes, which is just under 2 minutes per question. You have to score 18 out of 24 questions correct ,to pass the Life in the UK test.
Is life in the UK test multiple choice?
The Life in the UK test or British citizenship test is one of the requirements that individuals who want to become permanent residents of the UK or apply to be British citizens need to fulfil.It is a test that consists of a multiple choice exam made up of 24 questions to be answered in 45 minutes.
What is the Identity check before taking the Life in the UK test ?
This is a standard procedure operated by every approved test centre. You will be required to show the identification used when booking the test and show the true likeliness of the person displayed on the ID.
Is the old life in the UK test still valid?
Currently, the Life in the UK pass notification letter does not have an end date and the test only needs to be taken once, which means that UK test certificate from 2006 is still and can form part of your naturalization application.
How do we pick the questions?
Questions are carefully selected , and are asked only from the “Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents (3rd Edition)” which is the prescribed handbook. These are valid questions from the exam. We aim to frame and choose our questions in a manner that they are closely simulate the actual environment of the test and help you to clear the exam in the first attempt.
What happens if I pass?
Upon finishing test, you would usually get your result in less than 5 minutes, and if you have passed you can leave the centre with your pass certificate. The life in the UK test has no expiry date, and can be used for all future applications.
Is life in UK test difficult?
The Life in the UK test is not difficult if you have gone through the Official Hand book and done practice tests available at TestPrepTraining.com diligently. However , the pass percentage is 75% based on the numbers released by UK home office regularly, which means that every 1 person out of 4 who appear for the test, fails.
The official test selects 24 randomly generated questions from the database, making every single test unique in terms of difficulty. Testpreptraining test material covers all of the essential facts that you should know for the test, so you can rest assured regardless of the questions that come up in your test, you would pass.
How can you prepare for Life in the UK test?
There are many free and paid online resources to prepare for the test.
TestPrepTraining has a good and an exhaustive compilation of multiple choice questions and answers based on the format of real test, and covering the contents in the “Life in the UK: A Guide for New Residents (3rd Edition)” handbook that is officially used to test applicants on the topics of the book.
There are 100s of free questions also available on the website. The paid version stimulates the real exam environment and we have almost 100% success rates of students who have taken our paid module for preparation.
The multiple choice tests help remember the facts and contents of the book in an easy way and at the same time you will get accustomed to the format of the real test.
All questions will come from handbook only, and it is important to go through the handbook once. Our practice tests are highly realistic, both in terms of the difficulty and test layout, making them an ideal preparation material before the test.
What do I need to know for the Life in the UK test?
Every single question asked in the official test will be based on the 3rd edition handbook “ Life in the United Kingdom : A guide for new residents”. You need to know the information contained in this handbook.
What documents do I need to book the test?
You will need to prove your identy while booking the test and bring the same document that you used to book the test with you to the test centre .The document must be in original and must have a photograph.
The following documents are accepted
•Passport (This may be out of date or expired but cannot be cancelled)
•Biometric Resident Permit. They are standalone documents are not fixed to any document. They have to be valid, and must be in the date.
•European Union (EU) Identity card . This must be in the date
•UK Photographic driving licence. (Full or provisional). This document must be in the date.
•Immigration Status document (ISD), endorsed with a UK Resident Permit (UKRP) bearing photo of the holder. This may be out of date. Candidates in possession of a passport containing a UKRP should select the Passport option.
•UK convention travel document (CTD) , this must be in the date
•UK Stateless Persons Travel document (SPD), this must be in the date
•UK Certificate of Identity (CID) , this must be in the date
What documents do I have to show for a name change ?
IF there is a change in the last name , the following documents may be required to prove last name change
•Marriage certificate
•UK spouse Visa or a Biometric resident permit
•Deed Poll Change of Name document
Special circumstances when booking the test
If you need special arrangements (e.g. disability), please call 0800 015 4245 to get extra help
What do you need to book the life in the UK test?
•You have to register with the Life in the UK online booking service
•You need to do this atleast 3 days before taking the test
•You need to provide a valid proof of identity, a debit or a credit card to make the payment and an email address for confirmation and registration of account.
How much does it cost to book Life in the UK test?
£50 ( Fifty Pounds only )
The Life in the UK test or the British citizenship test costs £50 ( Fifty Pounds in British Money). The fee for the test needs to be paid prior to taking the test and at the time of booking for the test.
The fees includes one time attempt of the test, and if for some reason you fail, you will have to pay the same money i.e. £50 pounds to reappear for the test.
How to book Life in the UK test?
The test can be booked on the official booking site i.e.
https://www.lituktestbooking.co.uk/lituk-web/
You are asked to choose a preferred test centre close to your location. There is no difference in the difficulty levels of test , based on centers. All centres administer the same test.
Where can you take the test?
There are over 60 centres all across UK where Life in the UK test is conducted. Once you begin the process of booking for your test online, you will be given choices of centres close to you along with the available time slots to take exams at these locations.
What is the pass mark for the Life in the UK test?
75%
According to the UK Visas and Migration Department of the Home Office that regularly releases pass scores , the pass rate is approximately 75% , which means that every 1 in 4 people fail the exam.
You have to answer 18 out of 24 questions correctly to pass the Life in the UK test. You have 45 minutes to take the test.