English requirement
English at B2 for settlement from 26 March 2027
A change is coming for settlement, not for citizenship. Pick your application and its date to see the level that applies.
Which English level applies to me?
Level
B1
| Citizenship | B1, unchanged |
| Settlement from | 26 March 2027: B2 on many routes |
| Source | HC 1691, 5 March 2026 |
The statement of changes to the Immigration Rules HC 1691, laid on 5 March 2026, raises the English level for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) from B1 to B2 on many routes, for applications made from 26 March 2027. It is a coming change: until that date the settlement level stays at B1, and nothing in HC 1691 alters the requirement for naturalisation, which remains B1 in speaking and listening. Someone who already holds indefinite leave to remain or EU settled status is not touched by it, since the change applies to settlement applications. The people to watch are those who will apply for settlement on or after 26 March 2027 on a route that the rules list. Because the change does not cover every route in the same way, read the rules for your own route rather than relying on a summary. The checker above shows the level by application type and date; the result for citizenship is the same either side of the change.
Is my English test result still valid?
Valid for this application?
Yes
| Two-year limit | 20 January 2027 |
| Used for ILR | no |
| Level needed | B1, speaking and listening |
Guide AN: a B1 speaking and listening test used for settlement can be relied on again for naturalisation.
Questions, dates and fees by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
What HC 1691 says, and what it does not
HC 1691 is a statement of changes to the Immigration Rules published by the Home Office on 5 March 2026. Among its changes it sets English at B2 for settlement on many routes from 26 March 2027. We summarise only what it states:
| Application | Before 26 March 2027 | From 26 March 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Settlement (ILR), routes covered by the change | B1 | B2 |
| Settlement, routes not covered | B1 (or route exemption) | unchanged |
| British citizenship (naturalisation) | B1 | B1, unchanged |
It does not create a B2 requirement for people who already hold settlement, and it does not touch the Life in the UK Test. Nor is it the same thing as the wider "earned settlement" reform, which was put out to consultation in November 2025 and has not produced final rules; the rule changes page keeps the two apart.
Three people, three outcomes
Priya will reach five years on her route in January 2027 and apply for ILR then. Her application comes before 26 March 2027, so B1 applies. A year later she can use that same B1 result for citizenship.
Tomás becomes eligible for ILR in June 2027 on a route the change covers. He needs B2. If he sits a four-skill test at B2, the same result will also more than satisfy the B1 requirement when he later naturalises, because Guide AN accepts "B1 or higher".
Mei has held ILR since 2024 and plans to naturalise in 2027. Nothing changes for her: B1 for citizenship, and the result accepted for her ILR can be reused.
What to do before the date
If your settlement application falls just after 26 March 2027, check two things. First, the exact day your route lets you apply, as set out in its own rules: a few weeks can put you on one side of the line or the other. Second, whether you already hold a result at B2 or higher, which a work or study visa may have required. A SELT result is valid for 2 years from its award, and the tool below checks a result against your application date.
If you need a new test at B2, budget more preparation than for B1. The approved tests at B2 on the current list are four-skill tests, so reading and writing are examined as well as speaking and listening. The approved tests page lists the B1 options for citizenship and explains how to book the SELT version of each.
If your route is not one the change covers, or if it exempts you from English at the settlement stage, your ILR application is unaffected. Remember, though, that the exemption stops there: when you later naturalise, the B1 requirement applies unless you are 65 or over, have a qualifying long-term condition, hold a degree taught in English or carry a passport from a listed country.
Why citizenship applicants still care
Most people naturalise after settling, so the level you face for ILR shapes the evidence you carry into citizenship. Under the rule in Guide AN, a result accepted for settlement is good for naturalisation without a time limit. A B2 result accepted for ILR after March 2027 will therefore do double duty. The settlement page covers the Life in the UK Test and English for ILR together, and the English requirement page covers citizenship.