Life in the UK test and English levels – what you need for visas, ILR and citizenship
Last updated 25 September 2026Rules checked every MondayOfficial sourcesSources & methodology →
Your English level decides which UK visas you can get, and from March 2027 the bar rises for settlement too. Here is what each route asks for, which tests count, how the Life in the UK test works and where to find cheap English classes.
English requirements are rising. Since 8 January 2026, new Skilled Worker applicants have needed level B2 on the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), up from B1. From 26 March 2027 – already written into the Immigration Rules – most people applying for ILR (indefinite leave to remain) will need B2 too, including those already on a route to settlement. The Life in the UK test itself is unchanged: £50, 24 questions and a 75 per cent pass mark.
A 10-year wait for settlement is only a proposal. The earned settlement consultation closed on 12 February 2026, the government is still analysing the responses, and ILR remains possible after five years on most work routes.
What level of English do you need for a UK visa?
UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) sets a minimum CEFR level for each route, and the Home Office describes B2 as the 'A-level equivalent' standard.
| Route | Minimum English | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker, new applicants | B2 | Since 8 January 2026; B1 before |
| Skilled Worker, visa held before 8 January 2026 | B1 | For extensions; no need to prove it again |
| High Potential Individual, Scale-up, Innovator Founder | B2 | Reading, writing, speaking and listening |
| Student, degree level or above | B2 | Your university may assess it with its own test |
| Student, below degree level | B1 | Four-skill test |
| Partner or parent (family visa) | A1 in speaking and listening | A2 needed to extend after 2.5 years |
| Representative of an Overseas Business | A1 | Speaking and listening test |
| Settlement (ILR) and citizenship | B1 in speaking and listening | B2 on most routes from 26 March 2027 |
Source: UKVI and the Home Office, read 23 September 2026.
Switching into Skilled Worker from a Health and Care Worker visa needs no new proof; switching from any other visa means B2. The May 2025 immigration white paper also proposed A1 English for adult dependants of workers and students, then A2 to extend and B2 to settle, but that is not in the Immigration Rules.
How do you prove your English – test, degree or exemption?
Most people take a SELT (Secure English Language Test) with a Home Office-approved provider. Work, study and business routes need a four-skill test; citizenship, settlement, partner and parent applications need speaking and listening only. Results are valid for 2 years from the award date, a test should be available within 28 days of booking, and you apply with the test's unique reference number instead of a certificate.
| Provider | Accepted SELT version | Where you can take it |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS SELT Consortium | 'IELTS for UKVI' or 'IELTS Life Skills' | In and outside the UK |
| LANGUAGECERT | International ESOL SELT, Academic SELT or General SELT | In and outside the UK |
| Pearson | 'PTE Academic UKVI' or 'PTE Home' | In and outside the UK |
| Trinity College London | Secure English Language Tests for UKVI (ISE or GESE) | In the UK |
| PSI Services (UK) Ltd | 'Skills for English UKVI' | Outside the UK |
Source: UKVI, read 23 September 2026.
Only these SELT versions are accepted, so check the product name before you pay; since 6 July 2025, LANGUAGECERT's Academic and General SELTs have replaced its four-skill ESOL SELT. As ID for a test in the UK, an eVisa share code works, while an expired BRP (biometric residence permit) is accepted only until 31 December 2026 at the latest. The Home Office is procuring a new, remote Home Office English Language Test, but no start date has been announced.
You may not need a test at all. Nationals of majority English-speaking countries, among them Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and the USA, are exempt. A degree taught in English can replace a test; if it was awarded abroad, Ecctis, which runs UK ENIC, must confirm it equals a UK bachelor's degree or higher. Doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives and vets who passed an English assessment accepted by their UK regulator need not prove it again for a Skilled Worker visa.
English for ILR and citizenship: B1 now, B2 from March 2027
For ILR and British citizenship, you currently need B1 or above in speaking and listening, or a degree taught or researched in English, if you are 18 to 64. People aged 65 or over, or with a long-term physical or mental condition, are exempt.
From 26 March 2027, the settlement level rises to B2 on most routes, including Skilled Worker, Scale-up, Global Talent, UK Ancestry, Innovator Founder, long residence and family settlement. The change was made by the Statement of Changes HC 1691, laid on 5 March 2026, and applies to people already in the UK. The Home Office estimates about 200 hours of learning between B1 and B2.
Take Anna, who arrived on a Skilled Worker visa in 2025 with a B1 certificate. She can extend at B1, but when she applies for ILR after five years, she will need B2. The earned settlement proposal would also require B2 and the Life in the UK test, with a year off for C1 English – but only if it becomes law.
If you are an EU citizen with settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you did not have to meet the language and Life in the UK requirements, so you must pass the test and prove your English before you apply to naturalise. Irish citizens using the registration route that opened on 22 July 2025 need neither.
How does the Life in the UK test work?
The Life in the UK test asks about British traditions and customs, based on the official handbook 'Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents'. You need it for settlement and for British citizenship. PSI runs it, and you can take it in Welsh at centres in Wales or in Scottish Gaelic in Scotland.
| What | Rule |
|---|---|
| Cost | £50, paid each time you sit it |
| Booking | Online only, at least 3 days in advance, at one of over 30 centres |
| Format | 24 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes, on a computer |
| Pass mark | 75 per cent; you get the result on the day |
| Resits | As many as you need |
| Cancelling | Refund if you cancel at least 3 days (72 hours) before |
| Exempt | Under 18, 65 or over, passed before, or a long-term physical or mental condition |
Source: the Home Office, read 23 September 2026.
Bring the same original ID you used to book, and do not bring children – they cannot come into the centre. The helpline is 0800 015 4245, Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm. The government has promised to 'refresh' the test, but no new version has been introduced.
Where can you learn English for free?
In England, ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) courses up to and including Level 2 are fully funded under the Adult Skills Fund 2026/27 if you are 19 or over and earn below £26,800 a year, or are unemployed; the threshold rose from £25,750 in June 2026. There is a catch: people on Student, Graduate or sponsored work visas such as Skilled Worker are not eligible, though their dependants are, except those of seasonal workers. Asylum seekers qualify after 6 months without a decision.
Outside England, ask your council. In Edinburgh, for example, the University of Edinburgh's 'English Beginners for New Scots' courses, supported by the City of Edinburgh Council, are free for refugees, asylum seekers and people with humanitarian protection.
What to do now
| Step | What | When |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Find your route's English level in the table above | Before you apply |
| 2 | Check whether your nationality or degree exempts you | Before you book a test |
| 3 | Book the right SELT version with an approved provider | Allow up to 28 days for a test date |
| 4 | Plan for B2 if you will apply for ILR on or after 26 March 2027 | Now – allow about 200 hours of study |
| 5 | Book the Life in the UK test online | At least 3 days ahead, before your ILR or citizenship application |
| 6 | Ask a local college about funded ESOL classes | Soon after you arrive |
Source: UKVI and the Home Office, read 23 September 2026.
Official sources
The official pages this guide is based on, read 23 September 2026. Links open the authority’s own website.
- GOV.UK – Skilled Worker visa: Knowledge of English; Home Office EM to HC 1333 · gov.uk
- UKVI – English language requirement levels for immigration applications · gov.uk
- GOV.UK – Student visa: Knowledge of English · gov.uk
- GOV.UK – Family visas: Knowledge of English · gov.uk
- GOV.UK – Prove your knowledge of English for citizenship and settling · gov.uk
- Home Office – Explanatory Memorandum to HC 1691 (5 March 2026) · assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
- Home Office news story, 5 March 2026 · gov.uk
- Home Office – Earned settlement consultation; A Fairer Pathway to Settlement · gov.uk
- HM Government – Restoring Control over the Immigration System (White Paper, CP 1326, May 2025) · assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
- GOV.UK – Prove your knowledge of English for citizenship and settling: Exemptions · gov.uk
- UKVI – Prove your English language abilities with a SELT ( · gov.uk
- Find a Tender (UK government) – Home Office English Language Testing (HOELT) Services · find-tender.service.gov.uk
- GOV.UK – Life in the UK Test · gov.uk
- GOV.UK – Life in the UK Test: What happens at the test · gov.uk
- Home Office – Knowledge of language and life in the UK caseworker guidance (v31.0, 18 Dec 2025) · gov.uk
- Home Office – Guide AN / Form AN guidance · gov.uk
- DWP/DfE – Adult Skills Fund funding and performance management rules 2026 to 2027 · gov.uk
- City of Edinburgh Council – ESOL classes and support · edinburgh.gov.uk
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