Life in the UK test study guide: The values and principles of the UK

Chapter 1 of the official handbook is the shortest chapter in the book. It is also the one people skip. That is a mistake. The test asks about it, and the facts in it are easy marks. There is a short list of values and a short list of duties. There are also the rules about the test and the ceremony themselves.

This guide covers the whole chapter in plain English. Read it once, then use the key facts table near the bottom of this page the night before your test.

Why the UK asks you to learn this

The UK wants new residents and new citizens to share a small set of basic ideas. The handbook calls them the fundamental principles of British life. They are not written down in one single law. They grew out of the country's history and its customs.

Two things follow from that. First, everyone living in the UK is expected to respect these principles. It does not matter whether you were born here or arrived last week. Second, the principles are linked to the right to stay here. Someone who does not respect the law can be refused permanent residence or citizenship.

The five fundamental principles

Learn these five. They come up again and again.

1. Democracy. The people hold power. Voters elect Members of Parliament, and those MPs make the law on their behalf.
2. The rule of law. The law applies to everyone in the same way. Nobody is above it, not even ministers, judges or the police.
3. Individual liberty. You are free to choose how you live, as long as you stay inside the law.
4. Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. You may follow any religion, change your religion, or follow none.
5. Participation in community life. People are encouraged to take part in the life of the place where they live.

What the principles do not cover

Free speech is real, but it has limits. You can criticise the government. You can disagree with your neighbour. You cannot threaten people, and you cannot stir up hatred against a group. That is a criminal offence, not a protected opinion.

Tolerance works the same way. It means accepting that other people live and believe differently from you, and treating them with respect anyway. Treating someone worse because of their religion is unfair discrimination. It goes against the principle, and it is also against the law.

Your responsibilities

The handbook lists what people who want to live here permanently are expected to do. The list is short.

• Respect and obey the law.
• Respect the rights of others, including their right to their own opinions.
• Treat others with fairness.
• Look after yourself and your family.
• Look after the area you live in and the environment.

Taking part in community life is encouraged rather than required. Volunteering, voting and helping a neighbour are all examples of it. Paying tax and obeying the courts are duties that everyone shares.

What the UK offers you in return

The handbook describes this as a two-way arrangement. In return for those responsibilities, the UK offers a set of freedoms.

• Freedom of belief and religion.
• Freedom of speech.
• Freedom from unfair discrimination.
• A right to a fair trial.
• A right to join in the election of a government.

These freedoms are protected by law and enforced by courts that are independent of the government. A minister cannot simply take them away.

Becoming a permanent resident or a citizen

To settle here permanently, or to become a British citizen, you normally have to prove two things. You must show that you can speak and read English. You must also show that you have a good understanding of life in the UK.

The Life in the UK test is how you prove the second one. The same rule applies to indefinite leave to remain, which is permanent residence, and to naturalisation as a British citizen.

The test itself

You book online, at least three days before the date you want. You must bring the same photographic identity document that you used to book. A passport or a biometric residence permit is the usual choice. If you arrive without it, you will not be allowed to sit the test.

Every question comes from the official handbook. The test is offered in English, Welsh and Scottish Gaelic, and in no other language.

Who does not have to take it

You do not have to take the test if you are under 18, or if you are 65 or over. People with a long-term physical or mental condition that stops them meeting the requirement can also be excused.

Most applicants must prove their English separately. The usual level is B1 on the CEFR scale for speaking and listening. A degree that was taught or researched in English can be accepted instead.

The citizenship ceremony

Passing the test is not the last step. If your citizenship application is approved, your local council invites you to a ceremony. You are expected to attend within three months of the decision.

You are not a British citizen until you have been to the ceremony. Three things happen there.

1. You swear an oath of allegiance to the monarch, or you make an affirmation of loyalty. The affirmation is for people who prefer not to swear by God. Both forms of words have exactly the same effect.
2. You make the pledge. In it you promise loyalty to the United Kingdom, and you promise to respect its rights and freedoms, uphold its democratic values and obey its laws.
3. You are presented with your certificate of British citizenship.

Ceremonies are usually group events in a civic building, such as a town hall. Guests are normally welcome, although the number of places for each new citizen may be limited. A British passport is a separate application. You make it after the ceremony, using your new certificate.