Life in the UK Test Pass Mark: How Many Questions Do You Need?

What GOV.UK says about the pass mark

The official wording is short. GOV.UK says you have 45 minutes to answer 24 questions based on the Life in the UK handbook, and that you must score 75% or more to pass. It publishes one pass mark for the test; it does not list a different threshold by test centre or by application type.

Because the test has 24 questions, 75% is not an approximate target. It converts to a whole number: 24 × 0.75 = 18. There is no score between 17 and 18, so the practical rule is simply 18 or more correct.

Worked score examples

Calculate a practice percentage as correct answers ÷ 24 × 100. The table rounds to one decimal place; rounding does not turn 17 correct answers into a pass.

Each question is worth about 4.2 percentage points, which is why a single answer separates 70.8% from 75%. On a 24-question test, one misread question matters.

How many questions can you get wrong?

You can get up to six questions wrong and still pass. That margin is easy to use up: a couple of dates you never revised, one question read too quickly and a pair of options you could not separate already account for five of the six.

This is the reason to treat guessed answers as wrong when you review a mock. A guess that happened to land does not show you know the fact, and the real test will draw different questions.

Is the pass mark the same for ILR and citizenship?

Yes. There is one Life in the UK Test. GOV.UK describes it as something you may need for an application for British citizenship or settlement, and the format and pass mark are the same in both cases. If you already passed for settlement, GOV.UK says you do not need to take it again for citizenship; the ILR vs citizenship guide explains how a pass is reused.

Why aim above 75% in practice?

75% is the official threshold, not a comfortable target. Practice questions are not the live exam questions, so a score of exactly 18 on a familiar practice set tells you less than it appears to. A suggested practice target of 21/24 (87.5%) across several fresh mocks leaves room for three unexpected questions. That figure is LINUK’s revision suggestion; it is not an official rule or a guarantee.

Turn your score into a revision plan

• Record your score on a fresh mock without notes.
• List every wrong or guessed answer by handbook topic.
• Read those sections and explain the correct answers in your own words.
• Try a different set after revision to check whether the knowledge transfers.

For example, 18/24 is a pass, but two correct guesses may hide gaps. Revising those topics is more useful than repeating the same test until you remember every option.

The Life in the UK mock test hub lets you practise the 24-question format and review your answers.

What happens after the result?

If you pass, GOV.UK says you get a unique reference number, which you need to complete your citizenship or settlement application; the Home Office uses it to check that you passed. People who took the test before 17 December 2019 have a letter with a test reference ID instead.

If you fail, you can rebook as many times as you need and pay the £50 fee each time. Use the retake guide to plan what to change before another attempt.