Practice and questions
The British citizenship test: what it really is
There is no separate "citizenship exam". Naturalisation asks for a Life in the UK Test pass and proof of English, and the practice test above covers the first.
Your score
0 / 24
0 / 24 answered
Choose an answer to begin
| Pass mark: 18 of 24 |
Practice questions written by Radif Partners from the facts of the official handbook. They are not the questions of the official test.
What people call the British citizenship test, the UK citizenship test or the naturalisation test is the Life in the UK Test: 24 multiple-choice questions on the official handbook, 45 minutes, a pass at 75% (18 correct), booked on gov.uk for £50 and sat in person at a test centre. To naturalise you also need to prove your English at level B1 in speaking and listening, which the Home Office's Guide AN calls a separate requirement: you must meet both. Many applicants have already passed the Life in the UK Test for indefinite leave to remain, and gov.uk says a previous pass means you do not sit it again. Those exempt are people aged 65 or over and people with a long-term physical or mental condition backed by a doctor's evidence. Holders of EU settled status usually did not take it for settlement and must do so before applying. On the naturalisation bill, the test is the smallest line: £50 beside £1,709 for the application and £130 for the ceremony.
Do I have to sit the Life in the UK Test?
Test needed?
Yes, you need a pass
| Ages exempt | under 18, or 65 and over |
| Fee if you sit it | £50 |
| Book at least | 3 days ahead |
Questions, dates and fees by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
Two requirements, often called one test
| Requirement | How you meet it | Exempt |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge of life in the UK | pass the Life in the UK Test: 24 questions, 45 minutes, 18 correct, £50 | 65 or over; long-term condition with medical evidence |
| Knowledge of English | B1 speaking and listening: approved test, English-taught degree, or majority English-speaking nationality | 65 or over; long-term condition with medical evidence |
The two halves are proved separately. A degree taught in English or a passport from Canada covers English but never the Life in the UK Test; a test pass covers life in the UK but never English. Guide AN warns that an application made without meeting both, when you are not exempt, may be refused and the fee kept. Our English test page covers the language half in detail.
Where the test fits in the naturalisation steps
For the usual route under section 6(1), Guide AN lists the conditions as: aged 18 or over, 5 years' residence within the absence limits, free of immigration time restrictions for 12 months, intention to live in the UK, a Life in the UK Test pass, sufficient English, good character, and two referees. The spouse or civil partner of a British citizen applies under section 6(2) with a 3-year period, but the same test and English rules.
A sensible order: first check that the residence conditions will be met on a given date (our earliest date calculator does it trip by trip), then book and pass the test, then the English if needed, then apply. Most people on the settlement route did the test and English years earlier for indefinite leave to remain and simply reuse them.
Do you need to sit it?
gov.uk lists four cases where you do not: under 18, 65 or over, passed it before, or a long-term physical or mental condition supported by an exemption form or a doctor's letter. For naturalisation the first case rarely applies, since adults apply and children are registered rather than naturalised. Guide AN adds that illiteracy and long residence are not grounds for exemption, and that someone exempted when they got indefinite leave must now meet the requirement, unless the exemption was for age or a condition. The checker under this section applies the gov.uk list to your situation.
What the test costs within the whole application
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Life in the UK Test, one sitting | £50 |
| Naturalisation application | £1,709 |
| Citizenship ceremony | £130 |
| Total with one test sitting | £1,889 |
Each retake adds another £50, since gov.uk says you pay every time you rebook. That is a good reason to practise until your mock scores are reliably above the line.
Practising for it
The test at the top of this page draws 24 questions from our bank of 300, written by Radif Partners from the handbook's facts, and marks you at 18. For a timed rehearsal use the mock test with its 45-minute clock. gov.uk says the test covers only the official handbook, so nothing outside it will be asked. Official details: Life in the UK Test, citizenship with indefinite leave to remain and Guide AN.