United Kingdom Citizenship Practice Test – Life in the UK
The UK citizenship test is usually a written test of 24 questions about British traditions and customs. All the citizenship test questions are based on the following subject areas as outlined in the official handbook (Life in the UK: A guide for New Residents):
- The values and principles of the UK
- What is the UK
- A long and illustrious history
- A modern, thriving society
- The UK government, the law and your role
Use the following practice tests to study for your UK Citizenship Test. All questions are based on the official UK Citizenship Test handbook – Life in the UK: A guide for New Residents. Depending on your study style, you can choose to study by individual topics, do a citizenship test simulation (24 randomly selected questions), and/or challenge yourself to the ultimate UK citizenship marathon test that includes all of the test questions we have.
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UK Citizenship Test - Marathon
This test contains all the UK Citizenship Test questions we have! Don’t say you are ready for the real test until you pass this test with flying colours!
UK Test Simulator
This is our UK Citizenship Test simulator – same passing score and number of questions as the real test, different EVERY TIME you re-take this test. This test contains questions from all knowledge sections.
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Enhanced functionalities: results tracking, mock exam reviews, smart timer, readiness assessment, etc.
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A Long and Illustrious History
In this section you will learn about the historical events and people that have helped to shape the UK today.
A Modern, Thriving Society
This section will tell you about aspects of life in the UK today, including currency, languages, population, society, religion, etc.
The UK Government, the Law & Your Role
This section will tell you about the UK’s democratic system of government and will help you understand your role in the wider community.
The Values and Principles of the UK
This section covers the responsibilities and privileges of being a British citizen or permanent resident of the UK.
What is the UK?
The United Kingdom is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In this section you will learn about the countries which make up the UK.
UK Citizenship Test: Additional Resources
UK Citizenship Test Handbook: Life in the UK - A guide for new residents
To prepare for the citizenship test, you will need to read the official handbook: Life in the UK – A guide for new residents
Oath of allegiance & Pledge
When you attend your UK citizenship ceremony, you must make an oath of allegiance (or you can make an affirmation if you prefer not to swear by God) and a pledge. These are the promises you make when you become a British citizen. The words of the oath, affirmation and pledge are all given below.
Oath of allegiance
I [name] swear by Almighty God that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her Heirs and Successors, according to law.
Affirmation of allegiance
I [name] do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her Heirs and Successors, according to law.
Pledge
I will give my loyalty to the United Kingdom and respect its rights and freedoms. I will uphold its democratic values. I will observe its laws faithfully and fulfill. my duties and obligations as a British citizen.
Ceremonies in Wales
If you are attending a ceremony in Wales you may, if you wish, make the oath or affirmation, and the pledge, in Welsh. The Welsh version of the oath, affirmation and pledge are below.
Llw teyrngarwch
Yr wyf i [enw], yn tyngu i Dduw Hollalluog y byddaf i, ar ôl dod yn ddinesydd Prydeinig, yn ffyddlon ac yn wir deyrngar i’w Mawrhydi y Frenhines Elisabeth yr Ail, ei Hetifeddion a’i Holynwyr, yn unol âr gyfraith.
Cadarnhau teyrngarwch
Yr wyf i [enw], yn datgan ac yn cadarnhau yn ddifrifol, yn ddiffuant ac yn gywir y byddaf i, ar ôl dod yn ddinesydd Prydeinig, yn ffyddlon ac yn wir deyrngar i’w Mawrhydi y Frenhines Elisabeth yr Ail, ei Hetifeddion a’i Holynwyr, yn unol âr gyfraith.
Adduned
Rhoddaf fy nheyrngarwch i’r Deyrnas Unedig ac fe barchaf ei hawliau a’i rhyddidau. Arddelaf ei gwerthoedd democrataidd. Glynaf yn ffyddlon wrth ei chyfreithiau a chyflawnaf fy nyletswyddau a’m rhwymedigaethau fel dinesydd Prydeinig.
Government Resources
UK Citizenship:
You can only take the test at a registered and approved Life in the UK test centre. There are about 60 test centres around the UK. You can only book your test online, at www.lifeintheuktest.gov.uk.
You can find out more information from the following places:
- The UK Border Agency website: for more information about the application process and the forms you will need to complete
- The Life in the UK test website: for more information about the test and how to book a place to take one
- Gov.uk: for information about ESOL courses and how to find one in your area
UK Citizenship Test Glossary
This glossary will help readers to understand the meanings of key words that appear in the UK citizenship test.
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| AD | Anno Domini – referring to the number of years after the birth of Jesus Christ – used as a time reference. |
| allegiance | Loyalty to something – for example, to a leader, a faith or a country. |
| armed forces | The army, navy and air force which defend a country in times of peace and war. |
| arrested (police) | Taken by the police to a police station and made to stay there to answer questions about illegal actions or activity. |
| assault | The criminal act of using physical force against someone or of attacking someone – for example, hitting someone. |
| bank holiday | A day when most people have an official day off work and many businesses are closed. A bank holiday can also be called a public holiday. |
| baron | A man who has one of the ranks of the British nobility. The title was particularly common during the Middle Ages. |
| BC | Before Christ – referring to the number of years before Jesus Christ was born – used as a time reference. |
| bishop | A senior member of the clergy in the Christian religion, often in charge of the churches in a particular area 164 |
| boom | A sharp rise in something – very often in business activity or the economy. |
| brutality | Behaviour towards another which is cruel and violent and causes harm. |
| by-election | An election held in a parliamentary constituency or local authority area to fill a vacancy (see also General Election). |
| cabinet (government) | A group of senior ministers who are responsible for controlling government policy. |
| casualties (medical) | People who are wounded or killed (for example, in a war). |
| charter (government) | An official written statement which describes the rights and responsibilities of a state and its citizens. |
| chieftain | The leader of a clan in Scotland or Ireland. |
| civil disobedience | The refusal of members of the public to obey laws, often because they want to protest against political issues. |
| civil law | The legal system that deals with disputes between people or groups of people. |
| civil service | The departments within the government which manage the business of running the country – people who work for the government can be called civil servants. |
| civil war | A war between groups who live in the same country. |
| clan | A group of people or families who live under the rule of a chieftain and may be descendants of the same person – a term used traditionally in Scotland. |
| clergy | Religious leaders, used here to describe religious leaders in Christian churches. |
| coalition | A partnership between different political parties. |
| colonise | Inhabit and take control of another country. People who colonise are called colonists. |
| commemorate | Show that something or someone is remembered. |
| conquered | Beaten in battle. 165 |
| constituency | A specific area where the voters who live in that place (its constituents) can elect an MP to represent them in Parliament. |
| constitution (law) | The legal structure of established laws and principles which is used to govern a country. |
| convention (government) | An agreement, often between countries, about particular rules or codes of behaviour. |
| criminal law | The legal system that deals with illegal activities. |
| decree (law) | Official order, law or decision. |
| democratic country | A country which is governed by people who are elected by the population to represent them in Parliament. |
| devolution | The passing of power from a central government to another group at a regional or local level, which can then be called a devolved administration. |
| dialect | A form of a language spoken by a particular group or people living in a particular area. |
| domestic policies | Political decisions that relate to what is happening within a country (as opposed to in another country). |
| electoral register | The official list of all the people in a country who are allowed to vote in an election. |
| electorate | All the people who are allowed to vote in an election. |
| eligible | Allowed by law. |
| ethnic origin | The country of birth, someone’s race or the nationality of someone when they were born/the customs and place from which a person and their family originated (or came from). |
| executed | Killed as a punishment. |
| first past the post | A system of election in which the candidate with the largest number of votes in a particular constituency wins a seat in Parliament. |
| franchise | The right to vote. |
| General Election | An event in which all the citizens of a country who are allowed to vote choose the people they wish to represent them in their government. 166 |
| government policies | Official ideas and beliefs that are agreed by a political party about how to govern the Country. |
| guilty | Found by a court to have done something which is illegal. |
| heir | Someone who will legally receive a person’s money or possessions after their death. The heir to the throne is the person who will become the next king or queen. |
| House (history) | A family (for example, House of York). |
| House of Commons | That part of the Houses of Parliament where MPs who are elected by the voting public debate political issues. |
| House of Lords | That part of the Houses of Parliament where people who have inherited their place or been chosen by the government debate political issues. |
| household | A home and the people who live in it/something that relates to a home. (For example, household chores are tasks that are done around the house, such as cleaning and cooking.) |
| Houses of Parliament | The building in London where the House of Commons and House of Lords meet. |
| illegal | Something which the law does not allow. |
| infrastructure | Structured network that is necessary for successful operation of a business or transport system – for example, roads or railways. |
| innocent (law) | Found by a court not to have done something illegal. |
| judge | The most important official in court. The judge makes sure what happens in court is fair and legal. |
| judiciary | All the judges in a country. Together, they are responsible for using the law of the land in the correct way. |
| jury (legal) | People who are chosen to sit in court, listen to information about a crime, and decide if someone is guilty or innocent. |
| legal | Allowed to do so by law. |
| legislative power | The power to make laws. |
| liberty | Freedom. 167 |
| magistrate | A person who acts as a judge in a court case where the crime is not a serious one. |
| marital status | Information about whether a person is single, married, separated or divorced. This is often asked for on official forms. |
| media, the | All the organisations which give information to the public, i.e. newspapers, magazines, television, radio and the internet. |
| medieval/Middle Ages | In history, the period between 1066 and about 1500. |
| monarch | The king or queen of a country. |
| national issues | Political problems that can affect everyone who lives in a country. |
| nationalised | Bought and then controlled by central government – relating to an industry or service that was previously owned privately. |
| nobility | The people in a country who belong to the highest social class, some of whom may have titles – for example, Lord, Duke, Baron. |
| office, to be in | To be in power in government. |
| Olympics | International sporting event held every four years |
| opposition | In the House of Commons, the largest political party which is not part of the government is officially known as the opposition. |
| Pale (history) | Part of Ireland governed by the English. |
| party politics | The shared ideas and beliefs of an organised group of politicians. |
| patron saint | A Christian saint who is believed to protect a particular area or group of people. |
| penalty (law) | Punishment for breaking the law. |
| Pope, the | The head of the Roman Catholic Church. |
| practise a religion | Live according to the rules and beliefs of a religion. |
| Prime Minister | The politician who leads the government. |
| prohibit/prohibition | Make something illegal. 168 |
| proportional representation | A system of election in which political parties are allowed a number of seats in Parliament that represents their share of the total number of votes cast. |
| Protestants | Christians who are not members of the Roman Catholic Church. |
| public body | A governmental department or a group of people who represent or work for the government and who work for the good of the general public. |
| public house/pub | A place where adults can buy and drink alcohol. |
| Reformation, the | The religious movement in the 16th century that challenged the authority of the Pope and established Protestant churches in Europe. |
| refugee | A person who must leave the country where they live, often because of a war or for political reasons. |
| residence | The place where someone lives. |
| rival viewpoints | Opinions held by different groups of people. |
| rural | Countryside. |
| scrutinise | Examine all the details. |
| seat (Parliament) | A constituency. |
| sentence | A punishment imposed by a court. |
| shadow cabinet | Senior MPs of a political party not in government. |
| sheriff (law) | A judge in Scotland. |
| slavery | A system in which people bought and sold other people (slaves) who were forced to work without pay. |
| sonnet | A poem which is 14 lines long and rhymes in a particular way. |
| Speaker, the | The member of the House of Commons who controls the way issues are debated in Parliament. |
| stand for office | Apply to be elected – for example, as an MP or councillor. |
| strike, to go on | Refuse to work in order to protest against something. 169 |
| successor (government) | A person who comes after another and takes over an office or receives some kind of power – for example, a son who becomes king when his father dies is his successor. |
| suspend | To stop something from happening or operating, usually for a short time. |
| terrorism | Violence used by people who want to force a government to do something. The violence is usually random and unexpected, so that no one can feel really safe from it. |
| The Phone Book | A book which contains names, addresses and phone numbers of organisations, businesses and individuals. |
| theft | The criminal act of stealing something from a person, building or place. |
| trade union | An association of workers formed to protect its members. |
| treaty | An official written agreement between countries or governments. |
| uprising | A violent revolt or rebellion against an authority. |
| voluntary work | Work which someone does because they want to and which they do for free, i.e. they do not receive any payment. |
| volunteer | Someone who works for free or who offers to do something without payment (see voluntary work). |
| war effort | The work people did in order to help the country in any way they could during wartime. |
| Yellow Pages | A book that lists names, addresses and telephone numbers of businesses, services and organisations in an area. Also available online at www.yell.com. |