Life in the UK test: what to study

The Life in the UK test only asks about information in one book: the official handbook, Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents. If you know the handbook well, you know everything the test can ask.

The test at a glance

• 24 questions in 45 minutes.
• Costs £50. You book online at least 3 days ahead, at one of more than 30 test centres around the UK.
• Bring accepted ID, and make sure the name on your booking matches it exactly.

You may need the test if you’re applying for settlement or British citizenship. You don’t need it if you’re under 18, if you’re 65 or over, have passed it before, or have a long-term physical or mental condition with an exemption form or doctor’s letter. Check the guidance for your application on GOV.UK.

Get the right handbook

The handbook is published by TSO for the Home Office, and it’s the only official one. It’s available as a book, an eBook or audio. The current version is the 3rd edition, published in 2013 and updated since (most recently in January 2026), so make sure you have a recent copy.

What the handbook covers

According to its publisher, the handbook covers:

• the process of becoming a British citizen or permanent resident
• the values and principles of the UK
• traditions and culture from around the UK
• the events and people that shaped the UK’s history
• the government and the law
• getting involved in your community

A simple revision plan

1. Read the handbook once, all the way through, without trying to memorise it. Get a feel for what’s in it.
2. Study one section at a time. History is usually the longest, so give it the most time.
3. Make your own notes on dates, names and numbers. These are the facts that are easiest to mix up.
4. Test yourself after each section with practice questions, then go back to the handbook for anything you got wrong.
5. Take full timed practice tests (24 questions in 45 minutes) once you’ve covered everything.
6. Book your test when you’re passing practice tests regularly.

Tips if English isn’t your first language

The test is in English, and some handbook words are unusual. Keep a list of new words with a simple meaning in your own language, and read a little every day. The audio version can help you learn how words are said.

Practise with Tutwoo

Tutwoo’s Life in the UK courses explain each handbook topic in plain English, with original practice questions and timed tests in the same format as the real thing. We recommend you study the official handbook too. The first lesson of every course is free.

Start a free lesson

Sources

• GOV.UK Life in the UK test
• Prepare for the test
• TSO: Life in the United Kingdom handbook

Tutwoo is independent and not affiliated with the Home Office. Test details from GOV.UK and the handbook’s publisher, TSO, checked 31 October 2026.