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The Life in the United Kingdom test is a computer-based test for applicants for naturalisation as a British citizen.
Naturalisation requirements
The Life in the United Kingdom test is a computer-based test for applicants for naturalisation as a British citizen. A pass in this test fulfils the requirement for "sufficient knowledge of life in the United Kingdom" which was introduced on 1st November 2005. It simultaneously fulfils the language requirement by demonstrating "a sufficient knowledge" of the English language. The test is based on chapters 2 to 4 of the book "Life in the United Kingdom: A Journey to Citizenship".
The test lasts for 45 minutes during which time the entrants have to answer 24 multiple choice questions. Although example questions are given on the official test website, they are not in the multiple choice format of the real test.
The concept was recommended in 2003 by the "Life in the UK" advisory group, chaired by Sir Bernard Crick, and was endorsed by the then United Kingdom Home Secretary David Blunkett.
Legally, sufficient knowledge of Welsh and Scottish Gaelic can also be used to fulfil the language requirement. Home Office guidance states that if anyone wishes to take the test in these languages arrangements will be made for them to do so.
An alternative method of satisfying the language and life in the UK requirements is to attend a course of "language-with-civic-content" based on a set of published materials.
At the time of the initial introduction the materials were primarily about England. There were proposals for producing equivalent materials for the other parts of the UK.
Speculation about the test
Discussion of the test produced a lot of speculation about possible questions in the British media. Most of these were not based on factual information about what the test required.
According to The Guardian *, typical citizenship test questions (proposed) may look like:
- Who is the prime minister?
- As of 2006, the answer is 'The Right Honourable Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair, member of Parliament'
- How do you pay a phone bill?
- In the UK, you pay your landline phone bill by either direct debit or filling the slip at the bottom with the payment at a post office (through Girobank) or bank.
- What does it mean to be a good neighbour?
- How did the United Kingdom come about?
- Through the Acts of Union in 1707 (to form the Kingdom of Great Britain) and in 1800 (to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland).
- When was Britain last invaded?
- Identify the political party with each of the following three policy statements ...
Another list of typical questions from the BBC has in addition:
- When was the Act of Union?
Another question asks which court uses a jury and the only true option in the list of answers was "Crown Court". Of course this is wrong as in Scotland the High Court trials use juries (of 15 jurors as opposed to 12)
"Cricket test"
Former Conservative minister Norman Tebbit once suggested the "cricket test", also known as the "Tebbit test", where he suggested that people from ethnic minorities in Britain should not be considered truly British until they supported the England cricket team, as opposed to the country of their ancestors' birth.
Reported example questions
The Daily Telegraph reported some example questions *:
- Where are the Geordie, Cockney, and Scouse dialects spoken?
- What are MPs?
- What is the Church of England and who is its head?
- What is the Queen's official role and what ceremonial duties does she have?
- Do many children live in single parent families or step-families?
See also
References
Changes With Effect From 1 November 2005 - The Need to Demonstrate Knowledge of Life in the United Kingdom as well as Language ability
External links
"Life in the United Kingdom test"