Life in the UK test pass mark, format and results
You have 45 minutes to answer 24 questions based on the official handbook. To pass you need 75%, which is 18 correct answers.
| Questions | 24 |
|---|---|
| Time | 45 minutes |
| Pass mark | 75%, or 18 of 24 |
| Fee | £50 each time you sit it |
| Where | At one of over 30 test centres in the UK |
What the questions cover
Questions can come from any of the five chapters of the handbook, Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents: values and principles, what the UK is, its history, modern society, and government and the law.
What the questions look like
GOV.UK does not publish sample questions or describe their format. Practice questions, including those in our app, come in three kinds:
- one correct answer from four
- two correct answers from four
- a statement to mark true or false
The two-answer questions catch people out: read each question to the end before you choose.
Is 45 minutes enough?
Usually, yes. 45 minutes for 24 questions is nearly two minutes each, and most questions take far less. There is time to read each question twice before you answer.
If you pass
You get a unique reference number. The Home Office uses it to check that you passed, so keep it for your citizenship or settlement application. You do not need to take the test again.
If you fail
You can book the test again as many times as you need, paying £50 each time. GOV.UK gives no waiting period before you rebook. Spend the time before your next attempt on the chapters where you dropped marks.
In Welsh or Scottish Gaelic
The booking service says you can ask to take the test in Welsh or Scottish Gaelic, but only at test centres in Wales or Scotland.
Is the test changing?
Not yet. In a letter to a member of the House of Lords in March 2026, the minister for migration and citizenship said the Home Office is reviewing the test content and intends to line up any changes with the test's new contracts, due in 2027. Until GOV.UK announces a change, the test is based on the current official handbook.
Take a mock test in the real format
24 questions, a 45-minute clock and a pass mark of 18, like the test itself. The first mock test is free.
Checked against GOV.UK and the booking service on 13 November 2026.