Do I also need the B1 English test?

Two separate requirements

The Life in the UK Test and the B1 English test are not the same thing, and they are not alternatives. They test different things, and they are booked and taken separately. Most adults applying for settlement or citizenship need to meet both. Knowing this early saves a nasty surprise later in your application.

What is the B1 English test?

The B1 English test checks your ability to speak and understand English at a set level. It is a speaking and listening test, which is different from the Life in the UK Test, where you read questions and choose answers on a computer.

For settling in the UK or applying for citizenship, GOV.UK asks for English at CEFR level B1 or above, and a qualification at B1, B2, C1 or C2 all count. You take it with one of the approved providers for a Secure English Language Test, which at the time of writing are Trinity College London, the IELTS SELT Consortium, LANGUAGECERT and Pearson inside the UK. There are other ways to meet the requirement, such as a degree taught in English.

Two cautions. Different immigration routes ask for different levels, so check the guidance for the route you are actually applying on rather than assuming B1. And the approved provider list changes when providers gain or lose their approval, so GOV.UK asks you to check the current list before you book. All of this sits on the GOV.UK English language pages, which are separate from the Life in the UK Test pages.

Does passing one cover the other?

This is the key point. If you pass the B1 English test, you still need to pass the Life in the UK Test. If you pass the Life in the UK Test, you still need to meet the B1 English requirement, unless you are exempt from it. They stand alone, so plan for both if your application needs them.

Who might not need the B1 test?

Some people are exempt from the English requirement, for example because of their age, a long-term condition, or where they are from. These exemptions are decided under the English requirement rules, not the Life in the UK Test rules, so being exempt from one does not make you exempt from the other. For the Life in the UK Test side, see who is exempt from the Life in the UK Test.

GOV.UK keeps the full list on its English language exemptions page. It covers people aged 65 or over, people who cannot meet it because of a long term physical or mental condition, and nationals of a set list of mainly English speaking countries including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United States and much of the Caribbean. It also covers people settling on certain work visas who already proved their English for that visa, and a number of other situations. Read the list itself rather than working from this summary, because whether you qualify usually turns on the detail of your own route.

How do you prepare for the Life in the UK side?

You can prepare for the Life in the UK Test now, whatever stage you are at with the English requirement. If English is your second language, practising the questions also helps you get used to how they are worded, which makes the real test feel calmer. You can start free practice with no account needed to begin.