Failed the Life in the UK Test? What Happens Next

What Failing Means

A settlement application on the routes covered by Appendix KOL UK, such as indefinite leave to remain (settlement), meets the knowledge requirement by providing a reference number showing a pass, unless an exemption applies. The same pass is used for citizenship. GOV.UK says the test can be rebooked as many times as needed.

GOV.UK does not publish a pass rate. Our guide to the pass rate covers what is and is not published.

What Happens Immediately After Failing

GOV.UK says that someone who passes gets a “unique reference number”, needed to complete a citizenship or settlement application. GOV.UK does not describe what a candidate who fails receives.

Before You Rebook

Settlement applications on some routes also have an English language requirement. For Skilled Worker main applicants there is none before 26 March 2027; from that date the Immigration Rules require level B2 in speaking and listening (Appendix Skilled Worker, paragraph SW 22A.1). Our English language guide covers the tests.

GOV.UK does not set a waiting period between attempts: it says the test can be rebooked as many times as needed, with a fee each time. The only timing rule is that a test must be booked at least 3 days in advance.

GOV.UK says candidates are tested only on information from the official Guide for New Residents, also called the Life in the UK handbook. GOV.UK publishes no breakdown of which topics people find hardest, and no recommended gap between attempts.

How to Rebook

Tests are booked through the GOV.UK Life in the UK test service, which GOV.UK says is the only official booking service. Booking needs:

1. an email address;
2. a debit or credit card;
3. an accepted form of ID — a share code for anyone with an eVisa, otherwise one of the documents GOV.UK lists. The name on the booking must match the ID exactly.

The test must be booked at least 3 days in advance, and costs £50. See our booking guide for the full steps.

Common Reasons for Failing

GOV.UK publishes no data on why people fail. What it does publish is the shape of the test: 24 questions in 45 minutes, a pass mark of 75%, and content drawn only from the official Guide for New Residents. Our study guide sets out a reading plan for the Guide.

How Many Attempts Do Most People Need?

GOV.UK publishes no figures on how many attempts people need. It sets no limit on attempts.

GOV.UK lists who does not need to take the test: people under 18, people aged 65 or over, people who have passed it before, and people with a long-term physical or mental condition, who must provide an exemption form or a letter from a doctor. The Immigration Rules (Appendix KOL UK, paragraph KOL 1.1) exempt a person with a disability, physical or mental, “which prevents them from meeting the requirement”. Our guide to exemptions covers these.

The Financial Impact

Each attempt costs £50. GOV.UK gives a refund only when a test is cancelled at least 3 days (72 hours) before it is due, or when the test centre cancels it, so a failed attempt is not refunded. Three attempts cost £150 in test fees.

Does Failing Affect Your Immigration Application?

Appendix KOL UK says the knowledge requirement is met by providing a valid reference number showing a pass. GOV.UK says nothing about failed attempts being recorded or considered in a settlement or citizenship application.

An application that needs the test needs the pass reference number. Our guide to total visa costs sets out the other fees involved.

Official Study Materials

The official study materials GOV.UK lists are:

1. the Guide for New Residents, as a book, an eBook or in audio formats;
2. the official Life in the UK test e-learning subscription;
3. the official Life in the UK test practice app.

GOV.UK says the pass mark is 75%, and the test is 24 questions in 45 minutes. Candidates must bring the same original ID they used to book, and their photo is taken on the day.

Questions and answers