United Kingdom
Life in the UK Test pass mark
Type the number of answers you got right in a mock: the box tells you whether that is a pass and by how much. The page then explains what each outcome means on the real day.
Did I pass the Life in the UK Test?
Result
Pass
| Pass mark | 18 of 24 (75%) |
| Your score | 79% |
| Margin | 1 answer above the mark |
The Life in the UK Test has 24 questions and you have 45 minutes to answer them. gov.uk states that you must score 75% or more to pass, and on 24 questions that threshold is 18 correct answers: 17 is a fail, however close. Put the other way, you can get up to 6 questions wrong and still pass. A pass gives you a unique reference number, which the Home Office uses to check your result when you apply for settlement or citizenship; there is no grade beyond pass or fail, so a narrow pass serves exactly like a perfect score. After a fail, gov.uk lets you rebook as many times as you need, but each sitting is paid again at £50 and must be booked at least 3 days ahead. The calculator above turns a mock score into a pass or fail with the margin, and the one below shows what extra sittings add to the bill.
What a retake adds to the bill
Test fees paid
£100
| Fee per sitting | £50 |
| Naturalisation + ceremony + tests | £1,939 |
Each sitting is paid again; gov.uk sets no limit on the number of attempts.
Questions, dates and fees by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How the questions and dates are built
The rule in three numbers
Three figures define the test: 24 questions, 45 minutes and a pass threshold of 75%. The first two are printed on the gov.uk booking page, and the third appears in the part of the same guide that explains what happens at the test. Multiply them out and you get the figure most candidates remember: 18 correct answers.
Because 18 of 24 is exactly 75%, there is no rounding to worry about. A score of 17 is 70.8%, below the line, and gov.uk does not mention any appeal or re-marking for a near miss.
Scores and outcomes
| Correct answers | Score | Outcome | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | 100% | Pass | 6 to spare |
| 21 | 88% | Pass | 3 to spare |
| 19 | 79% | Pass | 1 to spare |
| 18 | 75% | Pass | 0 to spare |
| 17 | 71% | Fail | 1 short |
| 15 | 63% | Fail | 3 short |
The threshold is a share of correct answers, so a question on the date of a battle is worth one answer, just like one on the role of a jury, so there is no point in spending ten minutes on one difficult item: move on, answer the rest, and come back if time allows.
If you pass
You receive a unique reference number. Keep it with your other immigration papers, because both the settlement and the citizenship forms ask for it, and gov.uk says the Home Office uses it to check your result. If you pass for indefinite leave to remain, you do not sit the test again for naturalisation: gov.uk lists "have passed it before" among the cases where no test is needed.
Candidates from before 17 December 2019 hold a pass letter with a "test reference ID" rather than a reference number. If that letter has gone missing, gov.uk asks you to include a letter explaining that it is lost with your citizenship or settlement application.
If you fail
A fail does not close any door. gov.uk is short on the point: you can rebook the test as many times as you need, and you pay each time. What a fail does cost is time and money: another £50, another booking at least 3 days ahead, and possibly a later application date if you were waiting on the pass to apply.
Before rebooking, sit a few timed mock tests and look at which chapters lose you points. Rebooking straight away for the next free slot, without changing how you prepare, tends to give the same result.
How close is close enough?
In a mock, 18 is the line between pass and fail, but it is not a comfortable target. With 24 questions, two or three unfamiliar items on a topic you skimmed can take a good candidate below it. Our own advice is to aim for a few answers above the mark across several mixed mocks before you book. The chapter practice is the place to lift a weak chapter, and the cost page shows the full set of official fees around the test.
What the pass is for
For citizenship, the Home Office guidance lists sufficient knowledge of life in the UK as one requirement among several: knowledge of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic, residence and good character are assessed separately. The British citizenship page sets them out, with a calculator for the earliest date you can apply.