B1 English test or Life in the UK test: do you need both?
If you have been looking into the B1 English test, there is a second requirement that catches a lot of people out. For indefinite leave to remain (settlement) or British citizenship, most people need both: proof of your English at the required level (currently B1, which you can meet through an approved test, a degree taught or researched in English, or being a national of certain English-speaking countries) and a pass in the Life in the UK test. These are two different requirements under the same rule, not two options you pick between.
The rule is called the "knowledge of language and life in the UK" requirement, or KoLL for short. GOV.UK's Appendix KoLL is clear that it has two parts and that you have to satisfy both. Proving your English does not remove the Life in the UK test, and passing the Life in the UK test does not prove your English. They are assessed separately.
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- KoLL has two parts: knowledge of English AND a Life in the UK test pass. You need both.
- English can be proven three ways: an approved B1+ speaking and listening test, a degree taught or researched in English, or being a national of a listed majority English-speaking country.
- The English level currently accepted starts at B1 (B1, B2, C1 or C2 all qualify).
- The Life in the UK test costs £50 and has 24 questions in 45 minutes.
- People aged 65 or over do not need to prove their knowledge of English.
- From 26 March 2027 the English level for settlement rises to B2 (see the warning below).
What the B1 English test actually is
B1 is a level on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), not the name of a single exam. To meet the English requirement you generally need to show speaking and listening at B1 or above. GOV.UK lists three routes to prove it.
The first is passing an approved English language test (a Secure English Language Test, or SELT) in speaking and listening at B1, B2, C1 or C2 level. The second is holding a degree that was taught or researched in English. The third is being a national of a majority English-speaking country on GOV.UK's list, which includes the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand among others.
There are also exemptions. If you are aged 65 or over, GOV.UK says you do not need to prove your knowledge of English at all. Other exemptions cover long-term physical or mental conditions and certain protected categories. If any of these apply, check the official exemptions page before you book anything.
For a side-by-side look at the test, degree and nationality routes, see our guide comparing the English language options for settlement and citizenship.
The Life in the UK test is a separate exam
Here is the part that surprises people who came in searching only for B1. The Life in the UK test is a completely separate exam that tests what you know about British history, traditions, customs and how the country works. Meeting the English requirement does not cover it.
GOV.UK confirms the test costs £50 and gives you 45 minutes to answer 24 questions. You need to have passed it as part of your application for citizenship or settlement, alongside proving your English. Because it is knowledge-based rather than language-based, even fluent English speakers and people exempt from the English requirement usually still have to sit it.
So the two requirements test different things. B1 checks that you can speak and listen in English. The Life in the UK test checks your knowledge of life in the UK. That is exactly why the rule bundles them together under KoLL.
From 26 March 2027 the English level for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) rises from B1 to B2. GOV.UK's Appendix KoLL sets this out and says it applies by the date of your application, not retrospectively. If you are planning a settlement application around that date, check which level applies to you before you book a test. The Life in the UK test requirement does not change.
How to plan for both
Because you need both parts, plan them together rather than one at a time. Work out which English route fits you first: if you already have a qualifying degree or a listed nationality, you may not need to sit a SELT at all. If you do need a SELT, book it at an approved centre for speaking and listening at the level you need.
Then treat the Life in the UK test as its own project. It is bundled study material and question practice, not language practice, so preparing for B1 will not prepare you for it. The good news is the content is fixed and you can practise it in advance.
If you want a fuller breakdown of how the two halves of KoLL fit together and which applications need each part, read our explainer on the Life in the UK test and the knowledge of language requirement.
The short version
The B1 English test and the Life in the UK test are not alternatives. For settlement or citizenship, most applicants need to satisfy both parts of the KoLL rule. Confirm your English route, note the 26 March 2027 change if you are heading toward settlement, and start practising the Life in the UK questions early so the knowledge exam does not become the thing that holds up your application.