Life in the UK Test | All you need to know

Life in the UK test is a part of the application that you need to pass at all costs if you plan to settle in the United Kingdom. It is required in order to apply for British citizenship. The test is computer-based and intended to judge the applicant’s knowledge about Life in the United Kingdom and the history of the UK. Sounds pretty easy but really is tough! Basically, there are 24 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) selected randomly from the database that is unique and challenging at the same time. Talking about the test syllabus, it covers every feature of British history.

If you clear the UK life test, a pass certificate with a “unique reference number” is provided, which is evidence that you have passed the test. The number is entered in the application form in the respective section. The highlight of this certificate is that it has no expiry date. It can be used for all applications in the future.

A Little More Information: 

The Life in the UK test was technically introduced for migrants who are keen to obtain British legal citizenship. It started in 2005. A couple of years later, in 2007, this test was mandated for the applicants seeking settlement in the UK well. To assure your permanent residence in the UK, the proper preparation and practice must be your support. These are the sure-shot at getting citizenship.

Is it tough? Does it have tricky questions? Well, yes!

As per the previous surveys, even the UK nationals are found struggling hard to answer the test questions. Apart from tricky questions, the problem is known to be its hefty syllabus. After all, memorizing the building, historical dates, great personalities, freedom stories, civilization struggles, and nation’s hardships is not easy. Well, Life in the UK test practice can ease the learning process.

Eligibility To Appear For The Test:

The primary criteria to apply for The Life of a UK test is the age group. The acceptable age bracket is 18 to 64. They need to pass the test for attaining their citizenship. Moreover, it is needed to complete the “Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)” application.

The people who are ineligible to apply include:

- People of age under 18 or over 65

- Inabilities either long-term physical or mental (person with these special circumstances has to submit the proof otherwise)

When Can The Applicants Exercise Discretion?

There can be discretion in the rules for those applicants if:

- The applicant is going through a long-term ailment that hinders the ability to prepare for the Life in the UK test

- Candidate has the inability (mental or physical) that stops them from learning the English language

- The contender has an impactful mental condition that confines him from speaking the English language according to the mandated standard

How To Book The Test And How Much Does It Cost?

For booking the Life in the UK test, the applicant needs to visit the official booking website and browse thoroughly. The applicant must start by selecting the preferred and closest test location from the provided list of test centers. The test is made universal regardless of the area or center.

Moreover, the Life in UK test fee is £50 that is demanded by the test holders. In case of using the services of 3rd party providers for test booking on your behalf, the price will increase.

What Documents Are Required For Booking The Test?

The documents needed to book the test and appear for the test are Identity Cards (IDs). You won’t be allowed to perform the test if you fail to prove your identity. The applicant can prove identity through the following ID’s:

- Passport

- European ID Card

- UK Driving License

- Biometric Residence Permit

Life In The UK Test Pass Mark:

The criteria to pass the UK life test is to score at least 75% or more. This is equivalent to correctly answer a minimum of 18 out of 24 questions. The total time provided to attempt all the questions in 45 minutes. It leaves you with less than 2 minutes to solve each question.

What Will Happen If The Candidate Fails?

Don’t worry if you fail because all you need is to wait! Yes, you have to wait for a week (7 days) in order to apply for another test. There is no limit to the number of times the test can be attempted. If you cannot pass the test, you just be paying extra money along with using other resources as you must submit £50 for every attempt.

So, it is recommended to prepare well for the test to pass the first time and save your money! You can do it by practicing attempting the Life in the UK mock test.

Way To Prepare For The Life In The UK Test:

To get ready for the Life in the UK test, practice and extensive studying of handbook/guide are mandatory. All the test content comes from the 3rd edition handbook of "Life in the United Kingdom: A guide for new Residents." You can read it online, as well. All the questions are based on the information given in this book.

The 5 Chapters Of The Life In UK Test:

Chapter 1: The Values and Principles of the UK

Chapter 2: What is the UK

Chapter 3: A Long and Illustrious History

Chapter 4: A Modern and Thriving Society

Chapter 5: Government and Politics

Four Steps Guide For The Preparation:

1: Mug up the guide:

In order to clear the test to secure citizenship or settlement in the UK, you must prepare well for the test. For that, go through all the chapters mentioned above. All the questions will be extracted from the handbook. The Home Office gives the guide and is designed to cover an all-encompassing range of topics focused majorly on history. Thus, read it well and memorize the information. 

2: Take a chapter test:

For preparing for the test, it is recommended to go through the handbook chapter by chapter to read thoroughly and memorize the necessary information. After that, you must test your knowledge by answering a test on the chapter. This can be a great way to evaluate your understanding, knowledge and look for the shortcomings to cover. 

3: Try a mock test:

After all the preparation is completed for the test, try the free online Life in the UK practice test. The Life in the UK test questions is designed following the actual test format. At the bottom of the test, there is always a button that you can click to check the score. The best part about all mock tests is that the correct answer is also shown if the answer is wrong. It will provide you with a golden opportunity to know the correct answer right away. 

Such tests help check the accuracy and make understanding easier. This practice will evaluate the level of preparation for the test.

4: Practice makes perfect:

There is at least 50 Life in the UK test practice on the website that can be very effective to practice again and again. You can take practice tests for as much time as you want to level up your overall performance. You can perfect your English vocabulary, too.

Rules For The Test Centre:

You must spare 2 hours for the Life in the UK test and arrive 20-30 minutes before the test center. After all, identity checks are made that might take a minimum of 15 minutes. The waiting time for the result is less than 5 minutes. You will be aware of the pass or fail status before leaving the test center. Once you receive your Life in the UK test results, you need to get your certificate if you pass and then go. 

Not all test centers permit the candidates to bring in their visitors or guests along. Nevertheless, you are allowed to bring your family or anyone you want to the British Citizenship ceremony.

A Unique Set Of Questions:

It might surprise you, but you must know, this test is nearly fool-proof. Every candidate is provided with a different sequence of questions as queries are randomly drawn from a database. And the database contains over a thousand questions. After shuffling, the chances of you and your partner sitting next to you being given the same set of questions are reasonably low.

Three Common Mistakes: 

1. Specifying the wrong place of your birth

2. Swapping or mixing the "First name" and "Last name" fields

3. Writing Identity number in place of Passport number 

What Must You Do To Make A Complaint About The Life In The UK Test?

To complain about the test, you should contact directly through the email complaints@lituk.learndirect.com. Another way is to call them at 0800 0154245 from Monday – Friday, 8 am-4 pm. You will get a response from the company within ten working days. But the condition is that the complaint should be submitted within three months of the test date.