Language and Life in the UK

Government rules require people to know about Life in the UK as well as speak English.

Translation of this page:  Hammersmith & Fulham Council is unable to translate this web page into the non-English languages spoken in the borough. However, we have provided links to free website translation services 'Babelfish' and 'Google' which will translate the information on web pages from English into selected languages. The translation will not be perfect but is understandable. 

Please visit www.babelfish.altavista.com or www.google.co.uk/language_tools?hl=en. 

If you are an Arabic speaker, visit http://tarjim.ajeeb.com/ajeeb/default.asp?lang=1 (requires registration).   

From 1 November 2005 testing of Knowledge of Life in the UK came into effect and every person applying for naturalisation has to demonstrate competence in the English language as well as Knowledge of Life in the UK.  

This means that anyone whose application is received at the Home Office also has to produce a certificate showing that they have passed a “Life in the UK” test. Certain people may be exempt from the testing because of their age or disability.

The short test is set at the standard of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Entry Level 3. If applicants are successful they will not need to sit a separate English language test.

The test is offered at the Learn Direct centres throughout the UK. There is a fee for the test. This is in addition to the fee payable for a naturalisation application.  The questions are based on the information contained in chapters two, three and four of the book “Life in the United Kingdom: A Journey to Citizenship”.  The book is available from bookshops and the Stationery Office for £9.99 

If the standard of English is below Entry Level 3, people will need to attend, and show advancement in, ESOL-with-citizenship” classes, these are English classes that include learning about life in the UK.

Please see the frequently asked questions section which should cover all the information that you will need to know about the testing arrangements.