Which English test do I need for ILR?

Published 25 August 2026

If you're applying to settle in the UK — Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) — you've probably seen two different things both called "the English test" and aren't sure if they're the same thing. They're not. Most settlement routes ask for two separate things: a Secure English Language Test (SELT) that checks your speaking and listening, and the Life in the UK Test, which checks neither.

The SELT: speaking and listening, not reading or writing

For most settlement and family-route applications, you need to show your English is at CEFR level B1 or above in speaking and listening. You do this by sitting an approved Secure English Language Test — a SELT — with a provider on the Home Office's approved list, at an approved test centre. Reading and writing usually aren't tested at this level for settlement; it's specifically your spoken English, and your ability to understand spoken English, that gets assessed.

Not everyone needs a SELT. Some applicants are exempt — nationals of majority English-speaking countries, people with a degree taught or researched in English, people aged 65 or over, and a few other categories. And the list of approved tests and providers does change over time. Don't take our word for what's currently accepted, or anyone else's — check the official list before you book anything.

Four approved routes to a B1 speaking-and-listening SELT

As of when we last checked, these four are on the Home Office's approved SELT list for speaking-and-listening at B1:

• Trinity GESE Grade 5 — Trinity College London's Graded Examination in Spoken English, one-to-one with an examiner.
• LanguageCert ESOL SELT B1 — LanguageCert's speaking-and-listening test, built specifically for UK visa and settlement use.
• IELTS Life Skills B1 — the IELTS SELT Consortium's speaking-and-listening-only version of IELTS. This is not the same test as academic or general training IELTS.
• PTE Home B1 — Pearson's speaking-and-listening test for UK visa and settlement applications.

Book directly with the provider, at a test centre approved for immigration purposes. A regular academic IELTS certificate, or a general English course certificate, will not be accepted for settlement — even at the right level — unless it's specifically the SELT version, taken at an approved centre.

The Life in the UK Test is a completely different thing

Most ILR and citizenship applicants also need to pass the Life in the UK Test. This has nothing to do with your English speaking or listening ability. It's 24 multiple-choice questions, answered on a computer at a test centre, about British history, traditions, government and everyday life — all drawn from the official handbook. You get 45 minutes and need 18 correct to pass. There is no listening section, no speaking, and no examiner in the room with you.

People sometimes assume passing one test covers the other, or that a strong SELT result exempts them from the Life in the UK Test. It doesn't — they're assessed by different bodies for different reasons. If your route requires both, you need to pass both, separately, and keep both certificates for your application.

Rules change — check officially before you book

Language and immigration requirements are set and updated by the Home Office, not by us. Exemptions, approved providers, fees and formats all change over time, and what's accurate today may not still be accurate next year. Before you book a test, check the current position directly with the official sources:

• gov.uk — prove your knowledge of English for citizenship and settling
• gov.uk — Life in the UK Test

This article is general information, not immigration advice. If your situation is at all unusual — a different visa route, an exemption you think might apply, a test taken years ago — check with the Home Office or a qualified immigration adviser before you rely on anything here.

Once you've booked your SELT

If you're sitting Trinity GESE Grade 5, LanguageCert ESOL SELT B1, IELTS Life Skills B1 or PTE Home B1, UK SELT Simulator runs a full spoken mock of the format against an AI examiner, on your own topic, with a report after every session. See how it works.

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