Life in the UK Test for ILR

Official source: GOV.UK explains Indefinite Leave to Remain, Life in the UK test rules, and the current Home Office fee table. Check your exact visa route before relying on a timeline.

What is ILR?

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), also known as settlement, is the right to live and work in the United Kingdom permanently without any time restrictions on your stay. Once you have ILR, you do not need to renew your visa, and you can apply for most jobs, access public funds, and travel freely in and out of the UK — provided you do not stay outside the country for more than 2 continuous years.

ILR is a major milestone in the immigration journey. For many people, it is the step before applying for British citizenship.

Is there a separate ILR test?

No. There is only one Life in the UK test, and it is the same whether you are applying for ILR or for British citizenship. The test has the same 24 questions, the same 45-minute time limit, the same 75% pass mark, and the same £50 fee regardless of which application you are preparing for.

If you pass the test for ILR, GOV.UK says you do not need to take it again when you later apply for citizenship. Keep your Unique Reference Number (URN), because the Home Office uses it to check that you passed.

What you need for ILR

To qualify for ILR, many applicants need to have completed 5 years of continuous lawful residence in the UK on a visa route that leads to settlement (such as a Skilled Worker visa, spouse visa, or other eligible route). Some routes are shorter or longer. Not all visas lead to ILR — check that your current visa category allows it.

You must also meet the Knowledge of Language and Life (KOLL) requirement: a pass in the Life in the UK test and proof of English at B1 level or above. If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country or hold a degree taught in English, you may be exempt from the English language test but not from the Life in the UK test.

Other requirements include having no serious criminal convictions, not having breached immigration rules, and meeting any financial requirements specific to your visa route.

ILR fees

The ILR application fee is £3,226 per person as of April 2026. This is one of the highest fees in the UK immigration system and applies to each applicant individually — partners and dependants each pay the full amount.

On top of the application fee, you will pay £50 for the Life in the UK test and, if needed, approximately £150–£200 for an approved English language test. There may also be costs for biometric enrolment, document translation, and legal advice.

Unlike citizenship, ILR does not require a ceremony or ceremony fee.

After ILR

Once you have ILR, many applicants can apply for British citizenship (naturalisation) after 12 months. Some applicants, such as spouses of British citizens, may follow different timing rules, so check your route before planning the application date.

Citizenship brings additional rights, including the right to vote in all UK elections, the right to a British passport, and protection from deportation. However, citizenship also requires a separate application (£1,709 naturalisation fee plus a £130 ceremony arrangement fee) and, in most cases, another check against the KOLL requirement.

The Knowledge of Language and Life (KOLL) requirement

KOLL is the Home Office term for the combined requirement to pass the Life in the UK test and demonstrate English language ability. It applies to both ILR and citizenship applications. The two components are assessed separately — you take the Life in the UK test at a test centre and prove your English through an approved language test, a degree, or nationality exemption.

If you met the KOLL requirement for your ILR application after 28 October 2013, your English language qualification carries forward to your citizenship application — you do not need to retake the language test. However, you will still need your Life in the UK test pass (URN) for the citizenship application.

Key Facts

• ILR = Indefinite Leave to Remain = the right to live permanently in the UK
• There is no separate ILR test — the Life in the UK test is the same for ILR and citizenship
• Many routes need 5 years’ residence, but route rules differ
• ILR application fee: £3,226 per person (as of April 2026)
• Life in the UK test: £50 — keep your URN for later applications
• Many applicants can apply for citizenship after 12 months on ILR
• KOLL = Knowledge of Language and Life (Life in the UK test + B1 English)
• ILR can be lost if you spend more than 2 continuous years outside the UK

Study Note

ILR and citizenship use the same test — one pass and one URN can support both stages. Think of ILR as the ‘permanent resident’ step and citizenship as the ‘British passport’ step. The test is identical; only the application around it differs.