Life in the UK Test: How to Book, What It Costs and What to Bring
Book the Life in the UK Test online for £50 through the single official service, and do it at least 3 days ahead. You pick your location from more than 30 test centres across the UK while you make the booking.
- £50
- What you pay for the test, charged at the time of booking
- 3 days
- the minimum notice you can give to book
- 24 questions
- within 45 minutes
- 75%
- the mark required to pass
Source: GOV.UK guidance
The test pass is part of an ILR application, so arrange your booking well ahead of time.
How to Book the Life in the UK Test
Begin on the official booking service, which is the only government service for booking and is linked from the GOV.UK Life in the UK Test page.
Before you book, you must have an email address plus an accepted identity document. A debit or credit card is also required. That ID must show a name that is identical to the name you put on your booking. An eVisa holder can supply a share code in place of a document.
Life in the UK Test Centres Near Me
According to GOV.UK, you decide where to sit the test during the booking process, picking from over 30 centres around the UK. There is one more centre outside the UK, used solely by British Armed Forces members and their dependants.
The official booking service shows centres close to you only after registration, so we do not publish a list for Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Birmingham, Nottingham, Leicester, Leeds, London, Coventry, Cardiff, Bristol, Liverpool, Belfast, Sheffield, Reading, Newcastle, Luton, Croydon, Bradford or Ilford, and GOV.UK has no per-city list either.
Sign up on the official booking service to see which centres are nearby. The booking service questions page together with the GOV.UK guide is where we checked these facts.
What ID to Bring to the Life in the UK Test
Take the original of the ID you booked with; copies, printouts, and screenshots will not be allowed. Staff confirm your photo looks like you, check the document is valid, and verify your details against the booking. On the day, your photo is taken as well.
If your booking used an eVisa share code, bringing extra ID is not required. The code must start with an S. One beginning with R or W is invalid, and you will not get a refund.
Without an eVisa, you can use any identity document on the list that GOV.UK publishes:
- a passport that is still valid
- a valid ID card from one of these: EU, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway
- a photo travel document that is valid, but not an emergency one
- a biometric residence permit or card, provided your test date is no more than 24 months past its expiry or before 31 December 2026, whichever is earlier
Life in the UK Test Format and Pass Mark
You answer 24 questions from the official Life in the UK handbook within 45 minutes. A score of 75% or higher is needed to pass.
A unique reference number is given to everyone who passes. Your settlement or citizenship form needs that number, and the Home Office uses it to confirm your result. You may book again as often as required if you do not pass, paying the fee every time.
A book, an eBook, and an audio version are the three formats of the official Guide for New Residents, and the test uses nothing else. An official practice app is also suggested on the booking service.
Costs, Changing a Booking, and Getting Refunds
| Item | What the official sources say |
|---|---|
| Test fee | £50 |
| Book at least | 3 days ahead |
| Change the date or time | You can make changes at no cost until 3 days (72 hours) ahead of the test. |
| Cancel for a refund | Cancel with 3 days (72 hours) or more of notice before the test |
| Wrong ID or late arrival | No refund |
Need help with a booking? Call the Life in the UK Test helpline at 0800 015 4245.
Your ILR Application: Where the Test Belongs
Before applying for indefinite leave to remain, those aged 18 to 64 must usually pass the test. See our ILR requirements guide for how the test lines up with the years, English, and money rules, and our ILR fees guide for the £50 added to the full cost.
People under 18 or 65 and over do not need the test, nor do those who passed before, nor those with a long-term physical or mental condition who supply an exemption form or a letter from their doctor. The rules are different if you settle through the protection route, and our refugee page lays them out.
Find your own date once the test is booked: check the earliest application day with the ILR calculator, and use the trips abroad checker to see whether your time away keeps within the limit.