General information, not advice
We can't tell you which test or level your application needs. Check GOV.UK or find a regulated adviser. Settle Prep is not affiliated with or endorsed by any test provider named here.
Two tests, not one
Settling in the UK and becoming a British citizen usually involve two different tests:
- The Life in the UK test: 24 questions about British life and history. It costs £50.
- An English test of speaking and listening.
This page is about the English test. For the other one, see Life in the UK test pass rates.
What kind of English test
These tests are called Secure English Language Tests, or SELTs. GOV.UK's SELT page lists the routes that use a test of speaking and listening only. Settlement (indefinite leave to remain) and citizenship are on that list. Some other routes, such as Skilled Worker, use a test of all four skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening.
The test must:
- be on GOV.UK's list of approved tests;
- be taken at an approved test centre;
- be from “in the 2 years before the date of application”.
Which level
| Application | Level in the rules |
|---|---|
| ILR on most routes, applied before 26 March 2027 | B1 |
| ILR on most routes, applied on or after 26 March 2027 | B2 |
| ILR on the Hong Kong BN(O), HM Armed Forces (partners and children) and Domestic Workers in a Private Household routes | B1 |
| British citizenship (naturalisation) | B1 or above |
The details, with quotes from the rules, are in B2 English for ILR from 26 March 2027.
The approved B1 tests, side by side
Checked on 31 October 2026. Prices are in pounds, as each provider shows them for a test in the UK.
| Trinity GESE Grade 5 | IELTS Life Skills B1 | LanguageCert Speaking & Listening B1 | Pearson PTE Home B1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £160 | Not shown (see note) | £160 | £160 |
| Length | 10 minutes | About 20 minutes | 11-13 minutes | 22 minutes |
| Who you speak with | One examiner, who joins by video. You sit at a Trinity centre. | One examiner and one other candidate, in person. | A computer-format test at a test centre. | A computer-based test at a test centre, scored by computer. |
| What happens | Your own prepared topic, then a conversation on two subjects. | Short discussions on everyday subjects. | 5 parts: personal information, role play, exchanging information (an image or set of images), listen and respond, long turn. | Short speaking and listening tasks. |
| To pass | Pass | Pass | 60/100 | Pass |
| Results | Provisional result emailed by 9am the day after the exam; digital certificate link within 4-7 days | – | Official results in 3 working days; minimum score for UK visas 60/100 | Typically in 2 days (usually within 48 hours) |
| Retake option | Exam Protect, £35 extra: one retake and one change of date | – | A limited-time free-resit offer was shown on 31 October 2026 | – |
| UK centres | 20 | 18 | 24 | 22 |
Source: Each provider's own page, country set to the United Kingdom, and the GOV.UK lists of approved tests and centres, read 31 October 2026.
Note on IELTS: IELTS shows UK prices on the British Council and IDP booking pages. Those pages did not load for us on 31 October 2026, so we show no price.
The providers also offer A1 and A2 versions, which other routes use. None of these tests has a B2 speaking-and-listening version on the approved list yet.
What about B2?
On 31 October 2026:
- the B2 tests on the approved list were all four-skill tests;
- Trinity's B2 speaking-and-listening test (GESE Grade 7) was announced but not on the list, not bookable, and had no published price.
Our B2 test tracker shows today's status and every change.
Booking and the test day: what GOV.UK says
- Book with the provider. Use the website of the provider whose test you plan to take. GOV.UK warns that some third parties claim links to official partners when they have none.
- Bring your ID. An original, valid identity document with a photo. The name you book with must match it. In the UK, an eVisa can also be checked with a share code.
- Your reference number. After a pass you get a unique SELT reference number. GOV.UK says it is used when making the application.
- How long a result lasts. The rules ask for a result from “in the 2 years before the date of application”.
Source: GOV.UK: Prove your English language abilities with a SELT, read 31 October 2026.
How to get ready
- Know the format. The four tests are very different. Trinity is a conversation with an examiner about a topic you prepare. IELTS Life Skills is a discussion with another candidate. LanguageCert and Pearson are computer tests.
- Practise speaking out loud, with a timer. Reading about a test is not the same as speaking for several minutes.
- Try our free speaking check. It asks questions in the style of the one-to-one examiner format and gives a practice estimate. It is not an official result.
- Read the guides: GESE Grade 5: what happens in the exam and GESE Grade 7, the announced B2 test.
Common questions
Which English test is needed for ILR?
GOV.UK lists approved speaking-and-listening tests from 4 providers in the UK. The level depends on the route and the date of the application. We can't say which applies to you: check GOV.UK or find a regulated adviser.
How much is the English test for ILR?
At B1, on 31 October 2026:
- GESE Grade 5 (B1 Speaking & Listening SELT): £160
- LANGUAGECERT International ESOL SELT B1 (Speaking & Listening): £160
- PTE Home B1: £160
We could not read a UK price for IELTS Life Skills on the provider's own pages.
How long is an English test valid for ILR or citizenship?
The Immigration Rules ask for a test result from “in the 2 years before the date of application” (Appendix English Language, EL 6.1).
Is a SELT the same as the Life in the UK test?
No. A SELT (Secure English Language Test) is an English test. The Life in the UK test is a separate test about life in the UK: 24 questions, £50.
Do dependants take the English test too?
The Skilled Worker rules have their own settlement English paragraph for partners and children applying as dependants (Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Worker, SW 44.1(a)-(b)). The rules also list general exemptions, for example for people under 18. For one person's case, check GOV.UK or a regulated adviser.
Who is exempt from the English test?
In general terms, the rules list people aged 65 or over, people under 18, and people with a physical or mental condition that prevents them meeting the requirement. Nationals of 18 listed countries, and some degree holders, meet it in other ways. Whether that covers you is a question for GOV.UK or a regulated adviser.
Sources
We read each of these on the date shown and last checked this page on 31 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: Prove your English language abilities with a SELT read 31 October 2026
- GOV.UK: List of approved secure English language tests taken in the UK (ODS) read 31 October 2026
- GOV.UK: List of approved test centres in the UK from October 2026 (23.10.2026), ODS read 31 October 2026
- GOV.UK: Life in the UK Test read 31 October 2026
- Immigration Rules Appendix English Language read 31 October 2026
- Immigration Rules Appendix KoLL read 31 October 2026
- legislation.gov.uk: The British Nationality (General) Regulations 2003, regulation 5A read 31 October 2026
- Trinity: B1 English test (GESE Grade 5) read 31 October 2026
- Trinity: Exam Protect read 31 October 2026
- IELTS: Life Skills test format in detail read 31 October 2026
- LANGUAGECERT: SELT B1 Speaking & Listening (country: United Kingdom) read 31 October 2026
- Pearson: PTE Home B1 (country: United Kingdom) read 31 October 2026
Update log
- First published.